OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012

Mark Hoban: To ask the Minister for the Olympics pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2007,  Official Report, column 294W, on Olympic Games 2012, if she will place in the Library copies of the financial updates for the last three months.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Johnson) of 13 December 2007,  Official Report, column 767W.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Christmas

Simon Burns: To ask the Leader of the House how much her Office spent on  (a) Christmas cards and  (b) postage of Christmas cards in 2007.

Helen Goodman: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons spent £1,417.05 on charity Christmas cards in 2007. Oxfam, Women's Aid and the Samaritans were the charities supported.
	The great majority of cards were sent by the internal mailing system and did not incur a postage charge to the Office.

Members: Allowances

Eric Pickles: To ask the Leader of the House whether hon. Members will be eligible to use their additional cost allowance to pay for the costs of local authority charges for the collection of household rubbish.

Helen Goodman: Yes, provided it meets the rules given in the Green Book.

Official Engagements

Theresa May: To ask the Leader of the House what  (a) external and  (b) internal appointments she had in each week of December 2007 in her capacity as (i) Leader of the House of Commons, (ii) Minister for Women and (iii) Lord Privy Seal.

Harriet Harman: As with any Minister who has a broad portfolio I prioritise my work accordingly.

Regional Ministers: Written Questions

Eric Pickles: To ask the Leader of the House if she will make it her policy to allow written parliamentary questions to be tabled directly to each of the Ministers for the Regions in their capacity as a regional minister.

Helen Goodman: I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) on 22 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1W.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departmental Sustainable Development

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether his Department is on course to meet the commitment in the sustainable operations on the Government estate targets  (a) to source at least 10 per cent. of its electricity from renewables by 31 March 2008 and  (b) to increase recycling figures to 40 per cent. of waste by 2010.

Margaret Hodge: The Department has been supplied with 100 per cent. renewable electricity under the OGC Buying Solution contract since January 2006. The Department introduced a new waste management system into its Cockspur street offices in January 2007. The average monthly recycling rate is 59 per cent.

Entertainments: Tickets

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with representatives of  (a) music concerts,  (b) music festivals,  (c) sporting events and  (d) theatres on unscrupulous ticket resales; when such discussions took place; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: DCMS Ministers have not had any recent specific discussions with stakeholders on this subject, pending publication of a Select Committee report on ticket touting which is due 10 January 2008.

Gambling

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from industry bodies on the effect of the entry into force of the Gambling Act 2005 on  (a) internet gambling and  (b) other aspects of the gambling industry; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The implementation of the Gambling Act 2005 which came into force on 1 September 2007 was the subject of extensive consultation with industry and others.
	Ministers and officials continue to hold meetings and correspond with organisations including the Remote Gambling Association on many aspects of the remote and terrestrial gambling industry.

Legacy Trust UK: Finance

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much of the £40 million endowment to Legacy Trust was provided by  (a) his Department,  (b) Big Lottery Fund and  (c) the Arts Council.

James Purnell: holding answer 3 December 2007
	The £40 million endowment for the Legacy Trust is made up of a £6 million grant from DCMS, £5 million from the Arts Council England (ACE), £5 million from the Big Lottery Fund (BiG), and £24 million from the Millennium Commission (which has since been transferred to BiG). The DCMS contribution is ring-fenced for the UK School games.

Legacy Trust UK: Pay

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the board members of Legacy Trust UK will be paid.

James Purnell: holding answer 3 December 2007
	The board members of the Legacy Trust do not get paid. They can claim expenses.

Television: Licensing

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on administering applications for black and white television licences in the last period for which figures are available; and how many staff hours were required for this purpose.

James Purnell: This is a matter for the BBC. I have, therefore, asked the BBC's head of revenue management to consider the question raised by the hon. Member and to write to him direct. Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Provisional IRA

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent assessment he has made of levels of violence perpetrated by members of the Provisional IRA.

Shaun Woodward: The IMC reported in November 2007 that they believed PIRA was not involved in terrorist or other illegal activities, was fully committed to pursuing the political path and would not be diverted from it.

Requisitioned Land

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of land requisitioned for security purposes before 8 May has been returned to the original landowners.

Shaun Woodward: As a result of the Government's security normalisation programme the majority of land that was requisitioned for security purposes in Northern Ireland has now been de-requisitioned and handed back to the land owners.

Fuel Smuggling

Philip Dunne: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the police authorities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on fuel smuggling; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: While my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has lead responsibility in respect of revenue fraud, law enforcement agencies in Northern Ireland work closely together through the Organised Crime Task Force. There are good levels of co-operation across agencies locally and on a cross border basis to tackle fuel smuggling.

Drug Smuggling

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions he has had with the police authorities in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland on drug smuggling; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski).

Dissident Terrorist Activity

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on levels of dissident republican terrorist activity in the Province.

Shaun Woodward: The IMC report published on 7 November last year outlined the activities of all Loyalist and Republican groups.
	The despicable attacks by dissident republicans on two PSNI officers and ongoing activities by these groups clearly demonstrate the continued danger they pose for the security situation in Northern Ireland.

Departmental Equal Opportunities

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent by his Department  (a) in total and  (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose.

Shaun Woodward: The following tables show the Department's spending on equality and diversity for the years requested:
	
		
			  (a) Spent in total 
			   Cost (£) 
			 2004-05 145,124.30 
			 2005-06 129,684.60 
			 2006-07 102,551.43 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) Spent on staff costs 
			   Cost (£) 
			 2004-05 111,404.30 
			 2005-06 107,826.60 
			 2006-07 101,051.43 
		
	
	The Northern Ireland Office fully supports equality and diversity in the workplace and in the provision of services to the public. Equality and diversity is embedded into working practices across the Department and is not limited to certain staff. However, the Department does employ eight people who, among other duties, have responsibility for ensuring that the Department complies fully with equality legislation. Particular programmes in this three year period have included equality training for staff, an annual bursary for disabled staff and summer work placements for students from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Departmental Minimum Wage

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many London-based staff are employed by his Department on the national minimum wage.

Shaun Woodward: All Northern Ireland Office staff, both London-based and Belfast-based, are paid above the national minimum wage.

Departmental Training

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent by his Department on equality and human rights training in each financial year since 2002-03; and what percentage this represented of the total training budget.

Shaun Woodward: Equality underpins all aspects of departmental training, with modules included in the NIO induction programme. In addition, equality and human rights awareness feature across the range of NIO management and leadership programmes. Given the variety of departmental courses, it is not possible to quantify the amount spent on these elements in isolation.
	
		
			   Amount spent (£)  
			  Financial year  Equality  Human rights  Percentage of training budget 
			 2002-03 17,747 0 5 
			 2003-04 24,768 0 7 
			 2004-05 19,117 8,000 2 
			 2005-06 13,671 3,000 1 
			 Total 76,303 11,000 —

DEFENCE

Art Works

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on art work in each year since 2001  (a) in total and  (b) for its London headquarters.

Derek Twigg: The sum of £232,000 (excluding VAT) was spent on purchasing works of art in 2004-05 for the London headquarters of the Ministry of Defence. No other works of art have been purchased since 2001 for the London building.
	The Meteorological Office—a Trading Fund of the Ministry of Defence—spent £279,092 on works of art for its new building in Exeter in 2003 and 2004.
	Accurate information on expenditure on art in other Defence Agencies, Top Level Budget areas, Trading Funds, Joint Headquarters, single Service Commands and military units is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Christmas

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his Department's policy to use  (a) incandescent light bulbs and  (b) LED lights for festive decorations on departmental premises.

Derek Twigg: No specific requirements have been set for this type of lighting.

Contracts

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of all price indices used by his Department in variation of price clauses in fixed price contracts.

Bob Ainsworth: I will arrange for copies of the most recent Monthly Price Indices booklet and Quarterly Foreign Price Indices booklet to be placed in the Library of the House.
	Together, these publications contain all of the price indices commonly used in MOD fixed price contracts.

Departmental Finance

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's  (a) US dollar and  (b) euro general accounting rate was in each financial year since 1997-98.

Derek Twigg: For the financial years 1997-98 to 2000-01, the GAR was based solely on the weighted average of the forward contract purchases:
	
		
			   Accounting rate  Accounting rate 
			 1997-98 Dm2.1958/£ $1.5205/£ 
			 1998-99 Dm2.7353/£ $1.6137/£ 
			 1999-2000 Dm2.7546/£ $1.6269/£ 
			 2000-01 (to December 2000) Dm3.0065/£ (1)$1.6086/£ 
			 2000-01 (from January 2001) €1.5372/£ (1)— 
		
	
	From the financial year 2001-02 onwards, the GAR has been based on the weighted average of all forward and spot purchases, adjusted monthly if necessary. The ranges of rates used for each year are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Range of rates  Range of rates 
			 2001-02 €1.6176-€1.6250/£ $1.4350-$1.4568/£ 
			 2002-03 €1.5790-€1.6114/£ $1.3885-$1.4785/£ 
			 2003-04 €1.4910-€1.5650/£ $1.5142-$1.7500/£ 
			 2004-05 €1.4250-€1.4350/£ $1.5700-$1.7000/£ 
			 2005-06 €1.4300-€1.4500/£ $1.7300-$1.7800/£ 
			 2006-07 €1.4000-€1.4100/£ $1.8200-$1.8900/£

Departmental Pay

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department and its agencies spent on end-of-year bonus payments in each of the last five years.

Derek Twigg: The number and value of annual appraisal related bonuses paid to members of the senior civil service (SCS), to fixed term appointees and to civil servants below the level of the SCS covered by the MOD main pay deal (excluding trading funds), over the past five years, are listed in the tables one to three as follows.
	
		
			  Table 1: bonuses paid to senior civil servants 
			   Number of bonuses paid  Value of bonuses paid (£) 
			 2007-08 186 1,325,700 
			 2006-07 181 1,178,500 
			 2005-06 184 918,000 
			 2004-05 136 711,737 
			 2003-04 140 701,221 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: bonuses paid to fixed term appointees 
			   Number of bonuses paid  Value of bonuses paid (£) 
			 2007-08 (1)13 286,699 
			 2006-07 10 73,191 
			 2005-06 10 65,586 
			 2004-05 14 112,329 
			 2003-04 13 86,531 
			 (1) There are four outstanding bonus payments still to be agreed. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: end of year bonuses paid to staff below the level of the SCS 
			   Number of bonuses paid  Value of bonuses paid (£) 
			 2007-08 52,193 39,695,110 
			 2006-07 46,463 36,197,006 
			 2005-06 38,766 37,962,800 
			 2004-05 36,043 29,312,275 
			 2003-04 27,497 20,203,875

Departmental Visits Abroad

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on overnight accommodation for Ministers overseas in the last year.

Derek Twigg: Details of the cost of overseas travel, including the cost of travel and accommodation are contained in the Overseas Travel by Cabinet Ministers list. The latest list for the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 was published on 25 July 2007. Details for the 2007-08 financial year will be published as soon as possible after the end of the financial year. All travel is made in accordance with the Ministerial Code.

RAF Machrihanish

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which bodies his Department has consulted on the future of RAF Machrihanish; and if he will make a statement on the future of the base.

Derek Twigg: No final decision has been made on the future of the former RAF Machrihanish. However, Defence Estates has consulted the Scottish Executive, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Airways Ltd. and has responded to approaches from a number of potential developers on a without prejudice basis.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many improvement notices have been issued under section 10 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006, broken down by the issuing authority; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Figures on improvement notices issued under section 10 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 are not held centrally.

Fireworks: Environment Protection

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance his Department and its agencies have given to local authorities on the environmental effects of municipal  (a) bonfires and  (b) firework displays.

Jonathan R Shaw: DEFRA has not published guidance specifically for local authorities on the environmental effects of bonfires and firework displays. However, the Department does publish advice to the public when air pollution is expected to be high, most recently prior to the weekend before 5 November 2007. This advice was published on 2 November in the form of a press release which advised that, while air pollution has fallen significantly in recent years, certain occasions such as bonfire night can see higher than average levels. Those with heart and lung disease, as well as those with asthma, were advised to spend less time outdoors and to use their medication where necessary. Those without such illnesses should not have been affected by the high pollution.

Fisheries: Enforcement

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1272W, on Fisheries: Enforcement, for what reasons the number of hours of aerial surveillance tasked have been reduced since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The number of flying hours were reduced because of the introduction of satellite monitoring to all fishing vessels over 15 metres. The constant provision of data showing the activity of the majority of the UK fleet by the satellite monitoring system reduced the need for aerial surveillance.

Fisheries: Enforcement

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will break down by subheading his Department's planned budget for fisheries enforcement in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The budget for fisheries enforcement for the next five years has not yet been set. The budget for the period covered by the comprehensive spending review is currently being considered as part of the Department's business planning process.

Fisheries: Protection

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2007,  Official Report, column 409W, on Fisheries: Protection, whether replacement vessels were provided between 15 and 19 June 2007 when the three River Class offshore patrol vessels were recalled due to a Davit fault; whether his Department or the Marine and Fisheries Agency incurred any extra costs; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: No replacement vessels were provided between 15-19 June 2007 when the three River Class offshore patrol vessels were recalled due to a Davit fault. No extra costs were incurred.

Fisheries: Protection

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2007,  Official Report, column 409W, on Fisheries: Protection, if he will provide the Marine and Fisheries Agency with the resources required to implement the European rules on electronic recording and reporting of fishing activities; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Funding and resources to the Marine and Fisheries Agency to deliver electronic recording and reporting of fishing activities are being considered as part of the Department's business planning process.

Fisheries: Protection

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 11 December 2007,  Official Report, column 409W, on Fisheries: Protection, whether the Marine and Fisheries Agency or his Department will incur extra costs if vessels are required in the event that one or more River Class offshore patrol vessels are experiencing extended time off task; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: No extra costs will be incurred.

Fisheries: Protection

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the new contract with the Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron, beginning on 1 April 2008, will cost in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: From 1 April 2008 the Ministry of Defence will charge for the service at a platform daily rate of £8,425. The platform daily rate will be assessed annually to take account of factors such as inflation and increases or reductions in costs. The Marine and Fisheries Agency and the Fisheries Protection Squadron will continue to review the platform days in the light of operational needs. The cost to the Agency in future years will therefore depend on the work to be done by the Squadron and the annual review of the daily rate.

Fishing Catches

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the commercial value of all fish stocks discarded by UK-registered vessels in  (a) UK waters and  (b) non-UK waters in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by fish stock; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: There are no current estimates of the value of discarded fish by UK vessels nor of the value of discards in UK waters.
	However, to give some perspective on the issue of UK discards, recent Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) research undertaken among the UK fleets working in Area VII (the western English channel, Western Approaches, Bristol channel and Irish sea) estimated that the annual value of the landings from these fleets is about £70 million. The research suggests that of an estimated 72 million tonnes of fish caught some 35 per cent. was discarded.
	This cannot however be prorated to an equivalent monetary value. Fish are discarded due to lack of suitable markets, because they are below minimum legal sizes or because they are marketable but over-quota. The following tables show the main species discarded in Area VII by species by the two main fishing gears used (beam trawl and otter trawl); many of the discards are of fish with low or no value.
	The discard rates will in turn vary with area and by year in line with changes in the annual management measures which apply.
	
		
			  10 most discarded species and significant commercial species by English and Welsh registered beam trawlers 
			 Numbers (x10( 6) )  
			  Rank  Common name  Latin name  Annual mean  Range  Percentage discarded 
			 1 Gurnards  Trigla spp. 9.9 6.4—14.9 82 (4.6) 
			 2 Common Cuttlefish  Sepia officinalis 7.9 1.4—13.4 58 (0.5) 
			 3 European plaice  Pleuronectes platessa 7.2 0.6—23.4 43 (11.4) 
			 4 Dab  Limanda kimanda 6.8 2.7—15.2 97 (1.1) 
			 5 Lesser-spotted dogfish  Scyliorhinus canicula 6.4 5.0—8.5 99 (0.6) 
			 6 Poor cod  Trisopterus minutus 5.2 3.8—6.8 100 (0.0) 
			 7 Dragonets  Callionymidae 4.9 3.2—6.1 100 (0.1) 
			 8 Whiting-pout (Bib)  Trisopterus luscus 4.7 3.4—6.3 75 (5.2) 
			 9 Whiting  Merlangius merlangus 2.2 0.6—3.4 83 (2.7) 
			 10 Megrim  Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis 1.5 0.4—2.4 30 (3.0) 
		
	
	
		
			  10 most discarded species and significant commercial species by English and Welsh registered otter trawlers 
			 Numbers (x10( 6) )  
			  Rank  Common name  Latin name  Annual mean  Range  Percentage discarded 
			 1 Dab  Limanda kimanda 6.2 3.0—14.0 96 (1.0) 
			 2 Gurnards  Trigla spp. 5.2 1.3—11.1 70 (5.1) 
			 3 European plaice  Pleuronectes platessa 3.6 1.8—6.3 60 (3.4) 
			 4 Lesser-spotted dogfish  Scyliorhinus canicula 3.5 2.3—5.1 75 (7.3) 
			 5 Whiting  Merlangius merlangus 3.1 1.1—4.6 68 (3.1) 
			 6 Boar fish  Capros aper 2.4 0.1—6.0 100 (0.0) 
			 7 GT Silver Smelt  Argentina silus 2.8 0.0—8.3 100 (0.0) 
			 8 Poor cod  Trisopterus minutus 2 0.8—3.3 100 (0.0) 
			 9 Horse-mackeral (Scad)  Trachurus trachurus 1.8 0.5—3.5 81 (8.3) 
			 10 Dragonets  Callionymidae 1.6 0.2—3.3 100 (0.1) 
			  Source: R. Enver, A. Revill & A. Grant. Discarding in the English Channel, Western Approaches, Celtic and Irish Seas (ICES subarea VII). Fisheries Research 86(2007) 143-152. A Cefas publication)

Fly Tipping

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which waste collection authorities did not provide data for Flycapture for 2006-07; and for what reasons.

Joan Ruddock: The Royal borough of Kingston upon Thames was the only waste collection authority that did not supply data to Flycapture, the national fly-tipping database, in 2006-2007. No reason was given for its failure to do so.
	My officials have encouraged the borough to fulfil its legal obligation and it is recording data on Flycapture for this financial year.

Home Information Packs

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations the Environment Agency made to the  (a) former Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and  (b) Department for Communities and Local Government on whether home information packs should include information on (i) contaminated land reports and (ii) flood risk, as a required element.

Phil Woolas: The Environment Agency provided representations in responses to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's consultations on 'Reforming the Home Buying and Selling Process in England and Wales: Contents of the Home Information Pack' (July, 2005) and on the 'Home Information Pack Draft Regulations' (January, 2006), and a 'Memorandum to the Select Committee of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions' pre-legislative Scrutiny of the Draft Housing Bill (May, 2003).
	The Environment Agency also put representations forward on the Searches (Environment) Working Group set up under the Home Information Pack Component Project Board and had various other meetings and correspondence with relevant officials regarding content of Home Information Packs.

Plastics: Recycling

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what records his Department holds on the facilities available nationally for the recycling and processing of  (a) non-bottle-shaped and  (b) bottle-shaped plastics; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 8 January 2008
	My Department does not hold records of the facilities available for processing non-bottled-shaped or bottle-shaped plastics.
	However, the Government-funded Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) works closely with the plastics industry and has some broad information on the facilities available nationally. I have asked WRAP officials to write to you with further details.

Recycling

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will place in the Library the data from WasteDataFlow showing the  (a) final destination of materials sent for recycling,  (b) tonnage sent for recycling and  (c) quantity sent for recycling but rejected/disposed of by each local authority in England in 2006-07.

Joan Ruddock: I have arranged for the information requested to be placed in the Library of the House.

TRANSPORT

Cycling: Accidents

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many cyclists have died in road accidents in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The information requested is available from table 6 of the 'Road Casualties Great Britain: 2006 annual report'. Copies of the report have been deposited in the Libraries of the House. This table can also be found on the Department's website at the following address.
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/172974/173025/221412/221549/227755/285672/WebTables120.xls

Driving Tests

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she plans to publish the consultation paper on driver training and testing.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In February 2007 we announced a fundamental overhaul of driver testing and training. We are working to bring proposals forward for consultation and hope to publish this soon.

Heathrow Airport

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the proposed third runway at Heathrow airport is planned to have the capacity to accommodate  (a) Boeing 747-100 Jumbo jets,  (b) Boeing 747-400 Jumbo jets,  (c) Boeing 747-800 Jumbo jets,  (d) Boeing 787 Dreamliners,  (e) Airbus A350s,  (f) Airbus A340s and  (g) Airbus A380 aircraft (i) taking off and (ii) landing.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The 'Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport' consultation document states that a third runway would be used for a range of aircraft types, but not the largest four-engined wide body aircraft. This is required to allow a balanced use of aircraft across three runways.
	This view is based on an assessment of the typical operational configurations of each aircraft type taking account of expert opinions from aircraft manufacturers, NATS and airlines operating at Heathrow.
	This assessment indicates that under typical operating configurations it would not be practicable for the Airbus A340, Boeing 747 (all variants) and the Airbus A380 to take-off from a third runway but that it would be technical feasible for some of A340 variants to land on a new runway, dependant on weather conditions and the landing weight of the aircraft. It would not be possible under maximum landing weights.
	Based on available technical data, it is assumed that the new generation twin-engined aircraft, the Boeing 787 and the Airbus 350, could use a third runway for both landings and take-offs.

Heathrow Airport: Public Participation

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many households have been sent the Adding Capacity at Heathrow Airport Summary consultation document, broken down by  (a) non-London borough local authority and  (b) ward; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Over 217,000 households around the airport were sent a copy of the Heathrow consultation summary and response form. Approximately 48,800 of these were to addresses in non-London borough local authorities. By local authority area, the break down is as follows:
	
		
			  Local authority  Delivery address es 
			 Bracknell Forest 400 
			 Runnymede 8,000 
			 Slough 17,700 
			 South Bucks 1,900 
			 Spelthorne 3,500 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 20,500 
		
	
	By ward, the break down is as follows (all figures rounded to the nearest 100).
	
		
			  Ward  Borough/district/unitary authority  Delivery address es 
			 Ashford North and Stanwell South Spelthorne 200 
			 Bray Windsor and Maidenhead 100 
			 Burnham Lent Rise South Bucks 100 
			 Castle Without Windsor and Maidenhead 3,400 
			 Chalvey Slough 1,900 
			 Cippenham Green Slough 2,900 
			 Cippenham Meadows Slough 4,000 
			 Clewer East Windsor and Maidenhead 2,200 
			 Clewer North Windsor and Maidenhead 2,300 
			 Clewer South Windsor and Maidenhead 2,200 
			 Colnbrook with Poyle Slough 2,500 
			 Datchet Windsor and Maidenhead 2,100 
			 Dorney and Burnham South South Bucks 300 
			 Egham Hythe Runnymede 1,900 
			 Egham Town Runnymede 1,800 
			 Englefield Green East Runnymede 600 
			 Englefield Green West Runnymede 2,000 
			 Eton and Castle Windsor and Maidenhead 800 
			 Eton Wick Windsor and Maidenhead 1,000 
			 Foxborough Slough 2,900 
			 Haymill Slough 800 
			 Horton and Wraysbury Windsor and Maidenhead 2,100 
			 Iver Village and Richings Park South Bucks 700 
			 Kedermister Slough 100 
			 Langley St. Mary's Slough 1,500 
			 Old Windsor Windsor and Maidenhead 2,100 
			 Park Windsor and Maidenhead 2,200 
			 Staines Spelthorne <50 
			 Stanwell North Spelthorne 3,200 
			 Thorpe Runnymede 1,600 
			 Upton Slough 1,100 
			 Virginia Water Runnymede <50 
			 Wexham and Iver West South Bucks 700 
			 Winkfield and Cranbourne Bracknell Forest 400

Motor Vehicles: Registration

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Government intends to amend the Road Vehicles (Display of Registration Marks) Regulations 2001 to permit the display of national flags and symbols on vehicle registration plates.

Jim Fitzpatrick: No date has been set to lay amending regulations.

Railway Stations: Birmingham

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  when contracts will be let for work on the upgrade of Birmingham New Street station, as set out in Delivering a Sustainable Railway;
	(2)  what the funding package is for the upgrade of Birmingham New Street station, as set out in Delivering a Sustainable Railway, broken down by subheading;
	(3)  when she expects work to  (a) start and  (b) finish on the upgrade of Birmingham New Street station, as set out in Delivering a Sustainable Railway.

Tom Harris: £128 million of funding has already been committed to New Street in the recent White Paper 'Delivering a Sustainable Railway'. The city council has bid for up to a further £160 million from the Department, through the regional funding allocation.
	A separate bid for £100 million has been made by Advantage West Midlands to the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
	There is also a package of funding from the City Council and from the private sector. The council's proposals for private sector funding are commercially confidential.
	There is a clear case for improvements to New Street. The council and its partners have made great progress. They know that there are a few final important issues that they must resolve to ensure that plans for the funding and delivery stage are robust, given the significant amount of public funding requested.
	The precise timing of contracts for construction is a matter for the council and for Network Rail once funding is in place. Their plans are for design to begin in early 2008, for construction to begin in early 2009 and be fully completed by 2014.
	Everyone is working very hard, both within the region and within Government to ensure that decisions can be made as soon as possible.

Rapid Transit Systems

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which light rail schemes she has visited since her appointment as Secretary of State for Transport.

Tom Harris: Although the Secretary of State has yet to pay a formal visit to a light rail system, as a Greater Manchester MP she has visited Manchester Metrolink. She has witnessed the success of the scheme in tackling transport problems in the region and is aware of the benefits that light rail systems can bring. I have kept her appraised of the schemes I have viewed and we meet regularly to discuss issues facing the industry system.

Road User Charging (Charges and Penalty Charges) (London) Regulations 2001

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if she will bring forward the amendments to the Road User Charging (Charges and Penalty Charges) (London) Regulations 2001, identified by her Department in 2003, which would make identical the position for rental and leasing companies on the rights to transfer liability where the hiring agreement is longer than six months in duration; what estimate she has made of the resources required to implement the amendments; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  if she will take steps to ensure that the London Low Emission Zone enforcement procedure is not brought in before the rectifying amendments to the Road User Charging (Charges and Penalty Charges) (London) Regulations 2001 are made to allow rental and leasing vehicle companies to transfer liability to the hirer.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 7 January 2008
	The Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL) have now agreed which amendments to road user charging regulations will be taken forward. These include the rectifying amendments to the Road User Charging (Charges and Penalty Charges) (London) Regulations 2001. DfT and TfL have also agreed that further consultation is necessary due to the length of time which has elapsed since the initial consultation. We expect to be able to make available the resources necessary to progress the amendments in the next financial year.
	The London low emission zone (LLEZ) is the responsibility of the Mayor of London and is being taken forward by TfL on his behalf, any decision to delay the introduction of or suspend the LLEZ is a matter for the Mayor. The Government remain committed to improving air quality and support the aims of the LLEZ.

Roads: Safety

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons funding for the Specific Road Safety Grant (Capital) for Gloucestershire County Council will be reduced between 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Specific Road Safety Grant has been allocated to local authorities using a consistent formula based on road safety needs (the number of casualties over the 1994-98 period in the local authority area), and a qualitative assessment of their road safety delivery and future plans.
	To ensure a smooth transition, from the previous safety camera netting-off arrangements, to the needs-based formula, the amount of funding awarded to those authorities with a strong road safety need gradually increases over the next few years, while funding for those with a lesser need is gradually reduced. In this way, sudden large increases or reductions in funding are avoided. Gloucestershire county council's allocation reduces as they are deemed to have a lesser road safety need under the needs-based formula. A note explaining the allocation process, including how allocations have been increased or reduced as part of the smooth transition to the needs-based formula, is available on the Road Safety Grants section of the Department for Transport website at www.dft.gov.uk

Salcombe Harbour

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will categorise Salcombe Harbour as category C waters.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Salcombe Harbour is already categorised as Category C waters.

Shipping: Qualifications

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will revise Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 1808 (M) to allow a suitable Royal Yachting Association qualification to be an alternative to the qualifying service time; and if she will apply that provision to smaller vessels carrying up to 100 passengers on inland and tidal category C waters.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Although possession of a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) qualification will not in itself reduce the required seatime, it is already the case that, in some specific circumstances, RYA qualifications are considered an acceptable alternative to a Boatmasters' Licence (BML) and the experience gained operating in the relevant area may be considered towards the service time required. This extends to all categories of BML including those necessary for Category C waters.

Surveying: Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what account was taken of trends in  (a) UK tonnage over the past five years,  (b) world seaborne trade,  (c) the need for security checks and  (d) new flag state and ISM code requirements in deciding levels of resources and support for Maritime and Coastguard Agency surveyors;
	(2)  what account was taken of trends in UK registered ship tonnage when deciding the levels of frontline service staff, in particular the number of ship surveyors.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency uses a risk based approach to review regularly the marine surveyor and administrative support resources deployed on maintaining ship safety standards, taking account of the changing nature of ships and the shipping industry.
	The Agency also takes account of the need to implement safety and security requirements for UK registered and other ships, when considering the Agency's priorities for ship inspection and other work.

Thameslink

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Government have spent on  (a) construction,  (b) planning applications and  (c) other costs relating to the Thameslink project since 1998.

Tom Harris: holding answer 7 January 2008
	The majority of costs from 1998 to date relating to the Thameslink project have been incurred by Network Rail (formerly Railtrack) with most of these costs associated with the development phase. This includes planning, design, environmental assessment and the secural of the necessary planning powers which were obtained in 2006 following two public inquiries. From 1998 to date Network Rail has spent approximately £230 million on this project.
	In July 2007 I announced the commencement of the construction phase of the project. Substantive construction work is scheduled to commence by Network Rail in early 2009 following the completion of detailed design and the placement of construction contracts during 2008. Some preliminary construction work commenced at Luton airport in October 2007 although spend to date has been small.
	In addition, prior to July 2005 strategic direction for this project was discharged through the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) reporting to the Department for Transport. Since 1998 the SRA (and its predecessor OPRAF) spent approximately £5.9 million on external consultants to advise on the development phase of the Thameslink project. Following the abolition of the SRA in July 2005 the Department for Transport took over direct strategic direction of the project and since this date has spent a further £1.3 million on external consultants for the development phase.

Vehicle and Operator Services Agency

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 23 July 2007,  Official Report, column 767W, on Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, what progress has been made on the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency's study into the possible outsourcing of elements of its work.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Following presentation of a Preliminary Business Case to the DfT Board at the end of November 2007, the DfT Programme Team have been asked to complete further work by the end of February 2008 with the aim of recommending a preferred option. This would then be the subject of consultation if outsourcing is recommended.

Written Questions

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when she will provide a substantive reply to the request by the hon. Member for Putney for an internal review in relation to the Freedom of Information request of 11 June 2007.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I apologise that the internal review has taken longer than I would normally expect. This complaint is being treated with thoroughness and urgency and the hon. Member will receive a reply as soon as possible.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Departmental Data Protection

Jo Swinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many confirmed security breaches of databases controlled by his Department occurred in each of the last five years; whether the breach resulted from internal or external action in each case; how many records were compromised on each occasion; and what estimate was made of the total number of records accessible to the individuals concerned.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 13 December 2007
	It has been the policy of successive administrations not to comment on security matters other than in exceptional circumstances when it is in the public interest to do so.

Departmental Public Consultations

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2007,  Official Report, column 682W, on departmental public consultations, if he will place copies in the Library of the  (a) summary and  (b) full findings of each such poll undertaken since 27 June 2007.

Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 20 November 2007,  Official Report, column 682W.

Public Participation: Incentives

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1344W, on public participation: incentives, if he will place in the Library a copy of the report summarising the forum and giving the conclusions on public opinion.

Gillian Merron: The Leader of the House published "The Government's Draft Legislative Programme—Taking a Wider View", which included information about the Forum, on 14 November 2007 and a copy was placed in the Library.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Christmas

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department spent on  (a) Christmas cards and  (b) postage of Christmas cards in 2007.

Shahid Malik: DFID has spent £3,320.56 on 7,100 Christmas cards and envelopes in total.
	It is not possible to disaggregate the cost of posting Christmas cards from DFID's overall postage costs. Not all cards would be sent by post: some might be sent by Foreign Office bag to overseas contacts, or sent by the internal Government mail system.

Grants

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has allocated in 2007-08 and 2008-09 for grant schemes for  (a) schools links,  (b) higher education links,  (c) general community twinning and  (d) health links.

Shahid Malik: Subject to resource allocation decisions for 2008-09 (due to be taken as part of this year's business planning round), indicative programme allocations for each of the areas aforementioned are:
	
		
			  £ 
			   2007-08  2008-09 
			  (a) Schools links   
			 DFID Global School Partnerships (DGSP) 2,700,000 To be confirmed(1) 
			
			  (b) Higher education links   
			 Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DELPHE) 2,000,000 3,000,000 
			
			  (c) General Community Twinning   
			 Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) Good Practice Scheme 277,000 (2)700,000 (provisional) 
			 DFID linking scheme (new—DFID intends to commence a new scheme in 2008 to enable linking between community groups in order to create higher levels of development awareness. Funding levels yet to be finalised.) Not applicable Yet to be confirmed 
			
			  (d) Health Links   
			 Project support to Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET) under the Civil Society Challenge Fund 190,000 200,000 
			 (1 )The contract for the DGSP programme is currently being re-tendered and the precise budget for 2008-09 will be confirmed at the conclusion of this competitive process. (2 )This funding has been provisionally agreed for the continuation of the CLGF good practice scheme, subject to negotiations.

Iraq: Reconstruction

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2007,  Official Report, column 915W, on Iraq: reconstruction, 
	(1)  how many projects have been completed in Iraq for each of the last five years; and how many of these projects received the top score for success in meeting its objectives in the relevant project completion report;
	(2)  whether the annual output-to-purpose reports on reconstruction in Iraq focus only on projects which have been completed in that year; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  if he will place a copy of the annual output-to- purpose report on reconstruction in Iraq for each of the last five years in the Library.

Douglas Alexander: DFID has completed 32 projects in Iraq since 2003. This includes projects which are part of our bilateral programme and assistance channelled through the multilateral agencies such as the United Nations and Red Cross. All our projects valued at £1 million and over are regularly scored and monitored. This includes project scoring mid-way through the project—an Output-to-Purpose Review (OPR)—and a Project Completion Report (PCR) which is produced when the project has come to an end.
	The following table summarises the scoring of our completed PCRs since 2003.
	
		
			   Number of projects completed  Completely  s uccessful  Largely  s uccessful  Partially  s uccessful  Successful only to a limited extent 
			 2003 4 4 — — — 
			 2004 11 4 4 3 — 
			 2005 12 2 6 3 1 
			 2006 2 — — 2 — 
			 2007 3 — 1 2 — 
		
	
	Projects and programmes are scored according to whether they achieved their intended objectives. This will depend on a number of factors such as the level of risk and the type of assistance being given.
	There is no general output-to-purpose report on reconstruction in Iraq that I can place in the Library, since all OPRs and PCRs are project-specific.

Minimum Wage

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many London-based staff are employed by his Department on the national minimum wage.

Shahid Malik: The Department for International Development has no London or UK-based staff who are employed on or below the national minimum wage.

Regulation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for which regulators and inspectorates his Department has had responsibility in each year since 1997; what the budget was of each such body in each year; and what the cost to the public purse was of any restructuring of each such body in each year.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development is not directly responsible for any regulators or inspectors.

Tanzania: Overseas Investment

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the UK high commissioner in Tanzania on court actions against UK investors in that country.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 26 November 2007
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the UK high commissioner to Tanzania on his visit to Dar es Salaam on 26-27 November. He was briefed by the high commissioner about a specific court case against a UK investor.

JUSTICE

Custodial Treatment: Children

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2007,  Official Report, column 145W, on custodial treatment: children, how many children of age  (a) 10,  (b) 11,  (c) 12 and  (d) 13 years were held in custody in the same establishment as children aged 14 years or over in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2006.

David Hanson: Young people between the ages of 10 and 13 who have been given a custodial sentence, and those aged 12 and 13 who are remanded to the care of a local authority with a requirement that they be kept in secure accommodation, are placed in secure children's homes or secure training centres. Secure children's homes accommodate boys and girls aged 10 to 14, girls up to the age of 16, and 15- and 16-year-old boys who are assessed as being particularly vulnerable. (Courts cannot order 10- or 11-year-olds to be placed in secure accommodation.)
	Secure training centres accommodate young people aged 12 to 14, girls up to the age of 16 and boys aged 15 and over who are assessed as being particularly vulnerable.

Custodial Treatment: Children

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 13 November 2007,  Official Report, column 145W, on custodial treatment: children, how many children of age  (a) 10,  (b) 11,  (c) 12 and  (d) 13 years were held in custody following incidents of assault in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2006.  [Official Report, 20 February 2008, Vol. 472, c. 10MC.]

David Hanson: The following table shows that the number of young people aged from 10 to 13 in custody on remand or under sentence whose principal offence was assault as at 30 June in the three years in question. Young people in this age range are accommodated in either a secure children's home or a secure training centre. These data have been supplied by the Youth Justice Board.
	
		
			  Number of children aged 10, 11, 12 and 13 years were held in custody (admissions) following incidents of assault in 2004, 2005, and 2006 
			   2004  2005  2006 
			  Age  Remanded  Sentenced  Remanded  Sentenced  Remanded  Sentenced 
			 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 12 8 4 22 3 5 3 
			 13 35 15 24 20 12 12 
			 Grand total 43 19 46 23 17 15 
		
	
	The data include the following offence types: assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault with intent to resist apprehension or assault on a person assisting a constable, common assault, malicious wounding/grievous bodily harm, violence against the person and wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Land Registry: Pay

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on what date the current pay agreement at HM Land Registry ended; what the reasons are for the time taken to reach a settlement for 2007; what the timetable for negotiations is for 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: Land Registry made a formal pay offer to the Unions on 21 December and is aiming to pay the award to staff in February 2008.
	After the publication of the remit guidance on preliminary meetings were held with the Unions to obtain their views on what Land Registry should request in its pay remit. The pay remit was initially submitted to the Treasury on 10 August 2007 and, after correspondence with Treasury officials, was resubmitted on 5 October 2007. Land Registry staff have been kept regularly informed of the progress of the pay review. Clearance of the pay remit was received from the Treasury on 3 December 2007. Meetings were then held with the Unions on 6 December, 11 December and 19 December.
	Until the 2007 pay review is settled, Land Registry will continue to apply the rules agreed for the 2006 pay settlement that ended on 31 May 2007.
	Land Registry is not in a position to confirm the timetable for the 2008 pay award. However, the target settlement date remains 1 June 2008 and Land Registry will do its utmost to work with the Unions to reach a conclusion as close to 1 June as possible.

Offenders

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of offenders in the North East reoffended in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

David Hanson: The National Statistics relating to reoffending do not include a regional breakdown. Figures for proven reoffending within two years by adults released from prison or starting a community sentence have been published for 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004. The most recent data were published in the 2007 report, "Re-offending of adults: Results from the 2004 cohort" which is available online at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb0607.pdf
	We have developed more timely area-based management information on a different basis from the National Statistics. These show for each of the 42 criminal justice system areas, the proportion of those on the probation caseload who reoffend within three months and are convicted within six months of the end of every quarter. These experimental statistics are circulated to probation areas four times a year.

Prisoners: Vocational Training

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when the Government last reviewed the relevance of vocational training in prisons to the skills needed in the job market.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government reviewed the relevance of vocational training in prisons during the development and implementation of the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) in 2005. The Learning and Skills Council's document 'Developing the Offenders' Learning and Skills Service: the Prospectus' [September 2007] sets out a process for a full review of the vocational learning offer, by Criminal Justice Area, planned to begin in early 2008.

Prisons: Education

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been spent on education and training in prisons since 1997.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	Since the transfer of offender learning and skills from HM Prison Service in 2001, the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills' Offenders' Learning and Skills Unit (OLSU), and its predecessors, have spent the following on education and training in prisons:
	
		
			  Financial year  Total spend (£ million) 
			 2001-02 57 
			 2002-03 73 
			 2003-04 116 
			 2004-05 126 
			 2005-06 151 
			 2006-07 156

Prisons: Education

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what minimum standards apply to the provision of education, vocational training and work programmes for prisoners.

David Lammy: I have been asked to reply.
	The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) started to implement an integrated Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) across England from August 2005. The LSC's providers are required to deliver the service set out in the 'Offenders Learning Journey' which specifies minimum standards for education arid vocational training for prisoners. A separate version of the 'Offenders Learning Journey' specifies the service for those held in Young Offenders Institutions, where the Youth Justice Board requires that 90 per cent. of young people receive 25 hours a week of education, training and personal development activity.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Departmental Co-ordination

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the finance director in her Department is required to authorise policies with significant financial implications for the Department; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: The finance director advises Ministers on the appropriate budget delegations to be set for business areas, consistent with the Home Office's overall budget. The finance director then works with business areas to ensure that policies are affordable within these delegated limits. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 January 2008,  Official Report, column 268W, which summarises the Home Office's approach to policies with significant financial implications and the role of the finance director.

Homicide: Greater London

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homicides there were in  (a) Romford,  (b) the London Borough of Havering and  (c) London since 1997; and if she will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: Information from the Homicide Index can only be broken down to police force area level. The following table of data relates to the number of homicides recorded by the Metropolitan and City of London police forces between 1997 and 2005-06.
	Although the number of homicides in London is higher now than in 1997, there has been a reduction in each of the last two years. Moreover, the new Make Communities Safer Public Service Agreement (PSA), effective from April 2008, includes a target to reduce the most serious violence. Many of the actions required to achieve this objective will have an impact on a range of violent and sexual offences, but there will be a particular focus on homicide.
	The Government are developing a wide-ranging programme of work to deliver the new PSA target, and will soon set out a new framework for tackling violence, based on the identification and management of risk and supporting victims to reduce harm.
	
		
			  Currently recorded homicides( 1, 2)  by police in London( 3, 4) , 1997 to 2005-06( 5) 
			  Year( 1)  Number of offences 
			 1997 156 
			 1997-98 160 
			 1998-99 143 
			 1999-2000 172 
			 2000-01 178 
			 2001-02 179 
			 2002-03 173 
			 2003-04 189 
			 2004-05 182 
			 2005-06 177 
			 (1) Homicide offences are shown according to the year in which police initially recorded the offence as homicide. This is not necessarily the year in which the incident took place or the year in which any court decision was made. (2) As at 9 October 2006, figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (3) Homicides recorded by City of London and Metropolitan police. (4) Excludes homicides recorded by British Transport police. (5) Data for 2006-07 and revised data for the period 1996 to 2005-06 are scheduled to be released in late January 2008.

Hunting: Arrests

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) charges,  (b) prosecutions,  (c) convictions,  (d) cautions and  (e) fines there have been for breaches of the Hunting Act 2004 in each police force area since its enactment.

Vernon Coaker: Data for 2005 and 2006 showing the number of defendants proceeded against, found guilty, cautioned and fined under the Hunting Act 2004, broken down by police force area, are in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts, found guilty at all courts and fined, and the number of offenders cautioned by the police of offences under the Hunting Act 2004, England and Wales, by police force area( 1,2,3,4) 
			  Police force area  Proceeded against  Found guilty  Fined  Cautioned 
			  2005 
			 Merseyside 1 1 1 — 
			 Northumbria — — — 1 
			 Thames Valley 2 2 2 — 
			 Total 3 3 3 1 
			  
			  2006 
			 Cheshire 2 2 2 — 
			 Durham 1 — — — 
			 Essex 4 3 3 — 
			 Humberside 4 — — — 
			 Total 11 5 5 0 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) The Hunting Act 2004 came into force in February 2005. (4) Where police forces are not listed assume a nil figure.

Members: Correspondence

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she will reply to Question 167966, tabled by the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central on 21 November for answer on 26 November; and if she will make a statement.

Meg Hillier: The question was answered on 7 January 2008,  Official Report, columns 280-81W.

Police: Pay

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) total and  (b) average overtime payments were for police officers in each police force area in England and Wales for each year since 1997.

Tony McNulty: Data on police overtime is produced by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. Police Officer overtime for 1997-98 to 2006-07, broken down by police force areas, is shown in the table. The average overtime payment can be calculated by dividing the overtime payment by the official number of Police Officers for that year (using Home Office figures) and is shown in the table.
	Data on police overtime is produced by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. Police Officer overtime for 1997-98 to 2006-07, broken down by police force areas, is shown in the table. [Official Report, 21 January 2008; Vol. 470, c. 14MC.]
	
		
			  Overtime spend £000 
			  Force  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 2,835 3,103 4,054 3,443 5,112 7,000 6,899 6,870 5,351 5,801 
			 Bedfordshire 1,603 2,132 2,372 2,709 3,992 4,106 4,708 4,693 4,181 4,398 
			 Cambridgeshire 2,008 2,081 2,279 2,920 4,102 5,175 4,238 — 5,550 4,976 
			 Cheshire 2,946 2,875 3,406 3,175 3,200 4,751 4,261 3,278 3,951 5,275 
			 City of London 1,554 1,386 1,934 2,065 2,375 2,602 2,135 2,185 1,955 1,096 
			 Cleveland 1,691 1,986 2,713 2,096 2,996 4,035 3,479 2,188 4,038 4,834 
			 Cumbria 1,256 1,376 1,865 1,730 2,095 __ 2,314 2,201 2,317 2,042 
			 Derbyshire 2,108 2,287 3,512 2,718 3,278 4,010 3,542 4,009 3,822 3,778 
			 Devon and Cornwall 3,634 3,988 4,653 4,831 7,658 6,441 5,476 6,026 6,566 6,568 
			 Dorset 1,606 1,619 1,812 1,976 2,233 2,880 2,790 3,581 3,089 3,413 
			 Durham 2,046 2,550 2,835 2,538 3,083 3,151 2,868 3,325 3,158 3,221 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,437 1,504 1,582 1,694 2,017 2,458 1,794 1,936 2,163 2,724 
			 Essex 4,983 6,117 7,204 8,708 8,401 10,601 8,678 10,444 10,688 10,944 
			 Gloucestershire 1,625 1,826 2,416 2,209 2,337 3,257 3,430 2,766 3,273 2,854 
			 Greater Manchester 7,907 8,902 13,999 12,518 15,981 19,438 14,727 16,138 16,226 22,671 
			 Gwent 1,788 1,954 2,934 2,993 3,020 3,184 4,077 3,447 4,123 3,993 
			 Hampshire 6,016 7,367 8,322 7,109 8,557 11,603 9,703 11,818 11,243 12,001 
			 Hertfordshire 2,907 2,806 3,840 7,056 — 9,036 7,494 6,854 6,576 6,742 
			 Humberside 3,046 3,304 4,259 4,486 5,760 5,790 5,375 5,896 5,991 7,461 
			 Kent 4,984 5,307 6,695 6,941 7,420 10,301 9,523 9,877 11,405 11,992 
			 Lancashire 4,006 4,853 3,360 4,772 6,773 9,595 7,758 7,057 7,226 7,349 
			 Leicestershire 2,634 2,787 3,122 2,946 3,305 4,404 4,123 4,342 4,720 4,482 
			 Lincolnshire 1,781 1,702 2,380 2,945 2,537 3,199 2,193 2,856 2,345 2,214 
			 Merseyside 6,372 8,411 9,207 8,848 10,455 11,144 11,637 12,577 12,103 11,215 
			 Metropolitan Police 57,483 61,816 83,713 94,930 96,428 112,228 132,815 135,717 150,274 136901 
			 Norfolk 3,260 2,826 3,694 3,848 3,737 3,884 3,653 3,950 3,640 3,374 
			 North Wales 1,798 1,798 2,389 2,594 2,740 3,446 3,885 3,403 4,099 2,767 
			 North Yorkshire 2,111 2,364 3,048 3,738 3,584 3,534 3,199 3,690 4,889 4,352 
			 Northamptonshire 1,865 2,181 2,157 2,197 — 2,688 1,311 2,991 2,246 834 
			 Northumbria 5,037 5,007 3,970 4,421 4,776 6,217 6,452 7,395 7,736 8,135 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,215 2,660 3,567 3,210 4,304 4,626 — 6,782 5,886 5,091 
			 South Wales 2,599 2,805 3,845 4,181 3,993 4,977 5,328 6,291 5,002 6,473 
			 South Yorkshire 5,661 5,712 6,218 5,605 — 8,097 7,601 8,962 9,467 9,605 
			 Staffordshire 3,080 3,347 — 4,664 5,089 7,580 6,241 5,973 6,054 5,210 
			 Suffolk 1,304 1,421 1,367 1,760 1,775 1,815 2,031 2,171 2,041 3,467 
			 Surrey — 2,457 3,999 5,028 5,674 6,573 5,676 6,228 6,322 6,354 
			 Sussex 3,985 3,753 — 14,418 8,159 6,098 7,971 8,887 8,213 7,271 
			 Thames Valley 7,408 6,919 7,713 8,381 12,052 12,006 11,504 12,345 11,810 15,897 
			 Warwickshire 1,077 1,372 1,585 1,773 1,811 2,207 1,945 2,279 3,056 3,207 
			 West Mercia 2,654 2,896 3,088 3,837 4,495 4,857 4,503 4,491 4,107 5,237 
			 West Midlands 8,657 10,283 9,838 11,366 — 18,785 16,637 18,009 23,496 20,081 
			 West Yorkshire 6,461 5,365 6,746 7,322 11,839 13,510 10,997 13,549 13,323 13,244 
			 Wiltshire 1,408 1,535 2,028 1,850 1,770 1,940 1,440 2,430 1,903 2,385 
			  Source:  CIPFA Police Statistics: Actuals 2006-07 1997-98 
		
	
	
		
			  Average overtime per officer 
			  Force  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Avon and Somerset 949 1,043 1,352 1,173 1,727 2,261 2,191 2,020 1,581 1,712 
			 Bedfordshire 1,466 1,977 2,278 2,635 3,853 3,841 4,257 3,974 3,441 3,671 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,542 1,611 1,788 2,361 3,165 3,800 3,062 — 3,959 3,480 
			 Cheshire 1,440 1,408 1,645 1,579 1,598 2,307 2,011 1,506 1,807 2,426 
			 City of London 1,809 1,680 2,486 2,823 3,378 3,406 2,642 2,562 2,232 1,261 
			 Cleveland 1,159 1,339 1,917 1,493 2,129 2,762 2,199 1,297 2,409 2,883 
			 Cumbria 1,098 1,183 1,656 1,596 1,999 — 2,030 1,801 1,881 1,660 
			 Derbyshire 1,177 1,291 1,997 1,530 1,798 2,170 1,768 1,937 1,846 1,847 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1,269 1,347 1,612 1,700 2,610 2,110 1,710 1,836 1,949 1,880 
			 Dorset 1,251 1,236 1,417 1,513 1,649 2,085 1,970 2,499 2,130 2,298 
			 Durham 1,401 1,683 1,808 1,629 1,933 1,952 1,737 1,973 1,838 1,896 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,431 1,501 1,542 1,629 1,912 2,171 1,561 1,669 1,842 2,305 
			 Essex 1,683 2,089 2,492 3,104 2,910 3,598 2,903 3,371 3,350 3,338 
			 Gloucestershire 1,435 1,654 2,188 1,983 1,992 2,753 2,795 2,154 2,535 2,214 
			 Greater Manchester 1,142 1,281 2,056 1,842 2,313 2,693 2,006 2,007 2,018 2,848 
			 Gwent 1,438 1,585 2,353 2,369 2,370 2,389 3,040 2,512 2,867 2,722 
			 Hampshire 1,743 2,111 2,396 2,079 2,491 3,334 2,645 3,189 3,018 3,237 
			 Hertfordshire 1,653 1,613 2,228 3,994 — 4,951 3,829 3,286 3,125 3,171 
			 Humberside 1,490 1,635 2,157 2,322 3,005 2,813 2,553 2,664 2,687 3,355 
			 Kent 1,529 1,633 2,092 2,166 2,236 3,070 2,731 2,762 3,180 3,332 
			 Lancashire 1,234 1,490 1,036 1,501 2,081 2,904 2,323 1,988 2,035 2,051 
			 Leicestershire 1,352 1,405 1,566 1,478 1,626 2,097 1,950 1,907 2,067 1,992 
			 Lincolnshire 1,489 1,429 2,089 2,641 2,111 2,670 1,796 2,326 1,921 1,825 
			 Merseyside 1,506 1,995 2,186 2,166 2,562 2,702 2,845 3,051 2,804 2,627 
			 Metropolitan Police 2,155 2,369 3,211 3,725 3,876 4,280 4,746 4,564 4,893 4,483 
			 Norfolk 2,277 1,977 2,674 2,786 2,632 2,646 2,437 2,616 2,358 2,167 
			 North Wales 1,313 1,288 1,717 1,849 1,898 2,288 2,524 2,123 2,481 1,711 
			 North Yorkshire 1,794 2,023 2,680 3,347 3,098 2,911 2,644 2,978 3,859 3,304 
			 Northamptonshire 507 579 562 580 — 684 332 740 555 209 
			 Northumbria 3,766 3,662 2,970 3,445 3,660 4,387 4,468 4,836 5,014 4,972 
			 Nottinghamshire 953 1,145 1,603 1,456 1,946 1,985 — 2,730 2,353 2,055 
			 South Wales 873 939 1,290 1,429 1,288 1,545 1,645 1,919 1,525 1,984 
			 South Yorkshire 1,792 1,795 1,963 1,772 — 2,531 2,388 2,733 2,900 2,951 
			 Staffordshire 1,393 1,460 — 2,150 2,390 3,554 2,834 2,636 2,655 2,293 
			 Suffolk 1,105 1,198 1,149 1,537 1,567 1,509 1,621 1,665 1,554 2,667 
			 Surrey — 1,528 2,406 2,817 2,746 3,300 2,978 3,256 3,301 3,306 
			 Sussex 1,292 1,253 — 5,108 2,858 2,108 2,667 2,924 2,698 2,352 
			 Thames Valley 2,005 1,833 2,058 2,241 3,255 3,191 3,001 3,060 2,871 3,759 
			 Warwickshire 1,163 1,485 1,746 1,971 1,956 2,278 1,951 2,261 3,023 3,108 
			 West Mercia 1,301 1,441 1,525 2,034 2,304 2,407 1,996 1,907 1,735 2,228 
			 West Midlands 1,217 1,437 1,344 1,580 — 2,466 2,146 2,283 2,917 2,480 
			 West Yorkshire 1,240 1,041 1,354 1,518 2,459 2,763 2,187 2,569 2,366 2,347 
			 Wiltshire 1,220 1,327 1,762 1,655 1,580 1,677 1,244 1,997 1,557 1,957 
			  Source: CIPFA Police Statistics: Actuals 2006-07 to 1997-98 / Home Office Police Officer Numbers

Police: Retirement

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of police officers who will retire in each of the next five years.

Tony McNulty: The requested information can be estimated from the centrally collected data within the police personnel statistics series.
	Police officers are eligible for retirement with an ordinary pension after 25 years of service. An ordinary pension is payable from age 50 unless the officer has completed 30 years of service, in which case he or she may retire with an immediate pension even if under the age of 50. Data for the number of police officers with 25 to 26 years, 26 to 27 years, 27 to 28 years, 28 to 29 years and 29 to 30 years of service are available.
	Officers with less than 25 years of service may retire with an immediate pension between the ages of 55 and 60, depending on their rank and police force. Data for the number of police officers over the age of 55 are available.
	We estimate that between 4,000 and 5,000 officers will retire with an ordinary, short-service or ill-health pension in each of the next five years.

Police: Standards

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of calls were met within the target time adopted by the Metropolitan Police in each of the last three years, broken down by borough.

Tony McNulty: The information requested on emergency call handling is published in the Annual Reports of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). The data are available at the force level only, although the City of London's emergency calls are also dealt with by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS). The MPS has adopted a target time of 15 seconds for responding to 999 calls.
	The latest available data refer to the 2004-05 financial year, and can be found in Figure 8 of the HMIC Annual Report 2004-05. This publication is available via the Home Office website at
	http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/hc0506/hc08/0842/0842.pdf
	In 2004-05 86.4 per cent of calls were responded to within the MRS target time, in 2003-04 87.9 per cent were responded to and in 2002-03 the figure was 82.3 per cent.

Prosecutions: Driving Offences

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) successful prosecutions, (b) cautions and  (c) fixed-penalty notices there have been in relation to uninsured drivers (i) in total and (ii) in each police force area in each of the last 10 years; and what the average penalty was in each category.

Vernon Coaker: Available information taken from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Ministry of Justice for the offence of 'using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks', from 1997-2005 (latest available) is provided in the tables.
	2006 data will be available later this year.
	
		
			  Proceedings at magistrates courts for the offence of using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks( 1) , and average fine imposed( 2)  by police force area, England and Wales, 1997-2004 
			  Number of offences 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001 
			  Police force area  Findings of guilt  Average fine (£)  Findings of guilt  Average fine (£)  Findings of guilt  Average fine (£)  Findings of guilt  Average fine (£)  Findings of guilt  Average fine (£) 
			 Avon and Somerset 9,424 259 9,875 204 9,357 165 9,578 182 8,455 130 
			 Bedfordshire 2,951 314 2,992 293 2,328 274 2,323 226 2,916 164 
			 Cambridgeshire 2,394 221 2,507 209 2,233 215 2,226 182 1,989 119 
			 Cheshire 3,499 274 3,658 248 3,872 237 4,110 211 3,927 149 
			 Cleveland 2,798 162 2,908 167 3,027 170 3,597 179 3,643 167 
			 Cumbria 3,089 150 2,866 171 2,772 220 2,699 265 2,906 152 
			 Derbyshire 3,830 270 3,522 279 3,613 283 3,945 296 4,261 337 
			 Devon and Cornwall 4,967 184 4,263 185 4,681 178 5,890 179 5,742 133 
			 Dorset 3,458 295 2,777 302 3,013 301 3,548 261 2,986 121 
			 Durham 2,912 181 3,086 177 4,475 194 4,338 160 4,361 118 
			 Essex 4,507 174 4,635 149 5,035 140 5,356 123 5,417 101 
			 Gloucestershire 2,114 154 2,885 202 2,867 247 2,548 240 2,692 91 
			 Greater Manchester 20,548 245 21,430 226 23,696 236 24,020 232 26,600 152 
			 Hampshire 7,844 132 8,028 135 8,123 138 7,578 136 7,677 119 
			 Hertfordshire 2,573 193 3,056 164 2,789 173 3,332 204 3,691 155 
			 Humberside 3,479 159 3,501 148 3,920 143 4,065 137 3,657 122 
			 Kent 4,754 246 4,808 241 4,232 227 6,431 271 7,063 209 
			 Lancashire 11,577 332 11,198 296 10,800 237 11,054 219 9,812 111 
			 Leicestershire 5,990 318 6,265 318 7,281 276 6,752 254 6,849 134 
			 Lincolnshire 3,001 159 3,466 197 3,744 209 3,321 188 2,970 133 
			 London, City of 1,382 332 1,431 314 1,141 346 777 375 1,021 369 
			 Merseyside 8,432 200 7,694 203 6,920 200 7,813 207 7,794 163 
			 Metropolitan Police 25,866 202 22,874 185 20,893 184 20,247 169 22,677 139 
			 Norfolk 3,456 242 3,060 256 3,000 265 2,851 210 3,040 99 
			 Northamptonshire 3,083 243 3,271 286 4,151 310 2,998 280 1,643 280 
			 Northumbria 8,064 136 8,079 146 9,299 148 9,430 144 9,251 130 
			 North Yorkshire 2,778 249 2,538 236 2,656 230 2,572 211 2,216 130 
			 Nottinghamshire 6,149 164 6,658 165 6,156 153 6,082 150 6,261 152 
			 South Yorkshire 7,342 194 7,831 206 8,424 191 8,956 170 10,163 128 
			 Staffordshire 5,251 251 5,379 228 5,725 234 6,760 198 4,723 152 
			 Suffolk 2,202 193 2,283 192 2,547 192 2,330 183 2,387 128 
			 Surrey 2,439 243 2,051 242 2,278 215 2,577 218 2,826 201 
			 Sussex 4,726 218 4,150 186 4,198 181 3,808 167 4,016 118 
			 Thames Valley 6,258 292 6,311 257 7,291 268 7,456 250 7,128 134 
			 Warwickshire 2,595 228 2,394 175 2,192 177 2,316 188 2,672 156 
			 West Mercia 4,848 268 5,624 282 5,224 282 5,542 263 5,766 176 
			 West Midlands 18,484 207 18,969 190 16,407 189 18,010 201 18,221 169 
			 West Yorkshire 15,041 255 14,682 242 15,903 242 15,649 209 15,934 120 
			 Wiltshire 2,310 152 2,712 182 2,558 186 2,625 204 3,281 283 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,953 183 1,952 182 2,044 175 2,076 169 1,914 155 
			 Gwent 2,899 253 3,344 225 3,452 225 3,808 208 3,836 148 
			 North Wales 3,280 210 3,309 226 3,097 272 2,848 230 2,565 144 
			 South Wales 9,936 190 10,629 180 10,467 183 10,335 188 9,809 159 
			
			 England and Wales 254,483 224 254,951 214 257,881 212 264,577 203 266,758 150 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of offences 
			   2002  2003( 3)  2004  2005 
			  Police force area  Findings of guilt  Average fine (£)  Findings of guilt  Average fine (£)  Findings of guilt  Average fine (£)  Findings of guilt  Average fine (£) 
			 Avon and Somerset 9,766 133 10,633 138 10,925 154 8,688 154 
			 Bedfordshire 3,184 169 3,524 137 3,220 143 3,334 156 
			 Cambridgeshire 2,298 118 2,728 131 2,678 152 2,827 171 
			 Cheshire 4,600 153 5,414 167 5,412 179 3,871 190 
			 Cleveland 4,325 173 4,017 171 5,124 189 3,819 202 
			 Cumbria 2,888 151 2,868 159 2,762 169 2,199 171 
			 Derbyshire 4,736 355 4,956 367 5,557 367 5,190 376 
			 Devon and Cornwall 6,380 132 6,635 127 6,217 134 5,241 145 
			 Dorset 3,388 114 4,276 125 3,634 158 3,584 171 
			 Durham 4,632 122 4,535 121 4,065 116 3,186 123 
			 Essex 5,401 104 5,487 112 5,368 164 5,413 182 
			 Gloucestershire 2,297 86 2,599 133 2,451 147 2,042 143 
			 Greater Manchester 27,805 151 29,826 157 26,939 167 22,869 176 
			 Hampshire 8,135 122 8,148 124 7,509 131 6,251 138 
			 Hertfordshire 4,214 166 5,099 181 5,401 198 5,716 208 
			 Humberside 3,576 132 4,460 137 4,348 150 4,136 180 
			 Kent 7,722 192 7,485 191 8,377 197 7,050 204 
			 Lancashire 11,107 113 13,770 141 10,011 156 10,945 169 
			 Leicestershire 7,435 135 8,114 138 7,822 150 5,340 145 
			 Lincolnshire 3,070 134 4,298 148 4,781 179 3,907 185 
			 London, City of 1,333 368 1,606 334 1,125 230 1,068 198 
			 Merseyside 8,688 167 10,756 148 10,555 137 8,757 141 
			 Metropolitan Police 27,307 140 31,702 143 36,707 147 36,033 165 
			 Norfolk 3,610 107 4,485 139 3,750 152 3,436 152 
			 Northamptonshire 913 339 3,261 245 4,671 183 3,606 156 
			 Northumbria 9,364 135 9,904 135 9,159 137 9,348 142 
			 North Yorkshire 2,124 136 2,369 141 2,537 166 2,569 177 
			 Nottinghamshire 6,005 156 7,730 152 7,833 188 6,299 138 
			 South Yorkshire 10,101 137 9,965 146 8,571 125 8,484 147 
			 Staffordshire 5,764 163 6,128 166 6,370 186 5,959 230 
			 Suffolk 2,862 138 3,594 133 3,548 136 2,738 156 
			 Surrey 3,158 215 2,900 221 2,604 197 2,874 195 
			 Sussex 3,730 117 3,694 138 3,102 162 3,370 170 
			 Thames Valley 8,334 135 9,759 158 9,208 198 7,887 206 
			 Warwickshire 2,395 168 2,905 164 3,438 210 2,958 200 
			 West Mercia 5,858 180 6,051 165 5,540 193 5,604 208 
			 West Midlands 22,202 192 25,557 200 27,734 206 24,890 207 
			 West Yorkshire 14,043 123 17,101 134 20,308 144 16,220 144 
			 Wiltshire 3,170 286 3,022 280 2,794 200 2,814 208 
			 Dyfed-Powys 2,293 166 2,243 172 1,650 187 1,890 184 
			 Gwent 3,676 154 3,465 171 2,980 157 2,761 171 
			 North Wales 3,003 150 4,542 149 4,797 154 3,331 163 
			 South Wales 11,607 173 11,756 158 11,232 154 8,694 149 
			  
			 England and Wales 288,499 155 323,367 160 322,814 169 287,198 177 
			 (1) An offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 s. 143 (2). (2) Magistrates courts data only. Fines given at the Crown court total nationally (England and Wales) less than 10 each year. (3) As from 1 June 2003, 'driving a motor vehicle while uninsured against third party risks' became a fixed penalty offence.  Notes:  1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences may be less than complete. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Racially Aggravated Offences

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of crimes recorded as racially motivated were perpetrated against asylum seekers in the last  (a) year,  (b) five years and  (c) 10 years.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not available centrally. The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of racially or religiously aggravated offences recorded by the police. However, no information is collected on the status of the victims of these crimes.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Casinos: Planning Permission

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait) of 9 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 556-7W, on casinos: planning permission, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Planning Inspectorate ruling for each of the eight appeals.

Iain Wright: Copies of the Planning Inspectors' decisions, referred to in the answer given to the hon. Member for Beckenham (Mrs. Lait) of 9 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 556-7W, have been placed in the Library of the House.

Council Housing: Sales

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of income from the sale of council accommodation was used for the development of new council  (a) housing and  (b) affordable housing in each London borough in 2006-07.

Iain Wright: We hold no data which separately identify how the receipts from council house sales are used. Receipts from housing-related asset sales, including from right to buy, are subject to a 'pooling' regime whereby a proportion of the receipts come to central Government and a proportion is retained by the local authority. The proportion that comes to central Government is 75 per cent. for a dwelling or 50 per cent. for a non-dwelling asset such as housing land. The local authority is free to use the remaining 25 per cent. and 50 per cent. respectively for any capital purpose it sees fit, including the development of new council housing and affordable housing.
	Audited data are currently only available for 2005-06, when pooled capital receipts in London totalled £319 million. Housing Corporation spend through the Affordable Housing Programme on affordable housing in London was £714.5 million for that financial year. Local authorities may also spend their own capital resources on provision of affordable housing, but separate figures are not available for this.
	The following table shows Housing Corporation spend on the provision of new affordable housing for both social rented and low cost home ownership in London. The spend includes both new build and acquisition and refurbishment. It excludes spend on works (repairs/improvements) to existing registered social landlord stock.
	
		
			  London borough  Total  (£ million) 
			 City of London 2.5 
			 Barking and Dagenham 12.9 
			 Barnet 21.5 
			 Bexley 13.5 
			 Brent 24.3 
			 Bromley 19.2 
			 Camden 17.9 
			 Croydon 34.5 
			 Ealing 28.6 
			 Enfield 24.2 
			 Greenwich 22.1 
			 Hackney 34.1 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 21.5 
			 Haringey 26.6 
			 Harrow 9.0 
			 Havering 10.3 
			 Hillingdon 17.1 
			 Hounslow 30.9 
			 Islington 25.3 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 6.7 
			 Kingston upon Thames 10.9 
			 Lambeth 45.7 
			 Lewisham 20.9 
			 Merton 9.2 
			 Newham 39.4 
			 Redbridge 12.2 
			 Richmond upon Thames 6.2 
			 Southwark 39.0 
			 Sutton 13.4 
			 Tower Hamlets 38.9 
			 Waltham Forest 14.5 
			 Wandsworth 21.5 
			 Westminster 24.9

Empowerment Champions

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the criteria were by which she decided which local authorities were to be named as empowerment champions.

John Healey: The 18 local authorities named as empowerment champions were selected because they demonstrated that improvements were being made to people's lives in their area through a number of specific empowerment initiatives, and that there were plans for further development action. They agreed to work with the Department to spotlight good practice, develop peer learning programmes and contribute to the development of national policy. The selections took into account the views of the Government offices for the regions and the importance of including all the English regions, a cross-section of political control, types of council, and types of community served, to ensure the widest relevance of the learning programmes developed through the network.

Empty Property

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many unoccupied domestic properties there were in England and Wales in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: holding answer 7 January 2008
	 The numbers of vacant dwellings are tabulated for England. The figures include long and short-term vacancies of less than six months.
	
		
			   Snapshot date  Long term vacancies  Short term vacancies  Total for England 
			 2002 1 November 375,600 382,500 758,100 
			 2003 3 November 360,500 383,300 743,800 
			 2004 1 November 318,600 395,300 714,000 
			 2005 10 October 313,600 409,600 723,200 
			 2006 9 October 318,400 429,700 748,200 
			 Figures are available for England only.  Source :  Council Tax Base (CTB1) returns

Empty Property: Urban Areas

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate her Department has made of the number of unoccupied flats and apartments in city centres.

Iain Wright: Information on vacancies by type of dwelling is not held centrally.

English Regions Network

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) function and  (b) purpose is of the English Regions Network.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1158W.

Greater London Authority Act 2007

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which provisions of the Greater London Authority Act 2007 will come into force before May 2008.

John Healey: The Government intend to commence all the provisions of the Greater London Authority Act 2007 before the GLA elections on 1 May.

Green Belt

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer of 9 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 563-4W, on Green Belt, for what reasons green belt protection is not compatible with National Park designation.

Iain Wright: Green belt protection is not incompatible with National Park designation, although they have different purposes. The primary purposes of green belt are to prevent urban sprawl and prevent towns from merging, and to assist in urban regeneration by encouraging reuse of urban brownfield land, whereas the aims of the National Parks are to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of each park and to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of their special qualities by the public. However, both provide particularly strong controls over development.
	In relation to New Forest National Park, it was the decision of Hampshire county council and New Forest district council as part of their review of relevant development plans, to de-designate green belt land in the area of the National Park once the Park was created.

Housing: Disabled

Patricia Hewitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what support her Department provides to local authorities to ensure that enough homes are available with appropriate adaptations to meet the needs of people using wheelchairs.

Iain Wright: The Department for Communities and Local Government funds local authorities with an annual grant of £121 million to help finance the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) programme (increasing to £146 million in 2008-09). The DFG programme helps around 37,000 disabled people each year by providing assistance with a wide range of housing adaptations, which helps to enable them to remain living independently in their home.
	The Department has also set out proposals for the implementation of the Lifetime Homes Standards in our response to the consultation on the Code for Sustainable Homes. The standards significantly improve the suitability and adaptability of homes for people in wheelchairs as well as for other people whose circumstances undergo change. From 2011 all publicly funded housing will be built to the Lifetime Homes Standards, significantly increasing the provision of this type of accommodation.
	Additionally, as part of their approach to planning and housing policy, local authorities are required to identify households with specific needs. The Department's Strategic Housing Market Assessment Practice Guidance explains how authorities can undertake such assessments. That includes identifying the number of people with disabilities who require adapted housing.

Housing: Green Belt

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate her Department has made of the number of dwellings that were built in  (a) St Albans District and  (b) Hertfordshire on land (i) designated and (ii) previously designated as green belt in 2007; and what estimate it has made of the number likely to be built in each case under the proposed regional spatial strategies in each year of those strategies.

Iain Wright: The Department does not hold information in a format which would enable the number of dwellings built on designated, or previously designated, green belt in either St Albans or Hertfordshire to be readily identified. The Draft East of England Plan includes housing allocations for St Albans of 360 dwellings per annum to 2021 and, for Hertfordshire, 4,380 dwellings per annum to 2021.
	The East of England Plan identifies a need for strategic green belt reviews at Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Hatfield, Stevenage and around Harlow to permit those towns to develop further as Key Centres for Development and Change. It is not possible to predict the proportion of housing which may be built on land excluded from the green belt—that will depend on the Local Development Documents prepared by local planning authorities. However, the East of England Plan also contains a requirement that 60 per cent. of new homes should be built on previously developed land.

Land Use

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many civil servants are assisting the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell in his review of land use and planning.

Iain Wright: The secretariat support for the review currently consists of two full-time civil servants, but will draw upon the expertise of a range of officials from the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and across Government, where applicable.

Local Government Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether her proposals to introduce powers to ballot on spending decisions would involve  (a) the council and  (b) the public.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1152W.

Members: Pay

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell is receiving  (a) payment from the public purse and  (b) expenses for his review of land use and planning.

Iain Wright: In accordance with Cabinet Office guidance, the hon. Member for Truro and St. Austell is not receiving payment to conduct his review but is able to claim out-of-pocket expenses associated with the role.

Mortgages

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of first-time buyers took out mortgages of 100 per cent. or more of the purchase price of the property in each year for which figures are available from 1997 to 2005.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 December 2007,  Official Report, column 686W.

Non-Domestic Rates: Renewable Energy

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average additional contribution is of a ground source heat pump to the rental value of a business premises in the assessment of its rateable value for business rates by the Valuation Office Agency.

John Healey: Where business premises are heated this will normally increase the rental, and therefore the rateable value, as compared to similar premises that are unheated. This will be the case whether the heating plant is of traditional design or a ground source heat pump is used.
	However, it is not possible, at reasonable cost, to identify premises with ground source heat pumps and calculate the average addition for that portion of the rateable value attributable to ground source heat pumps.

Planning Permission: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what is the estimated change in revenue to be raised from the new planning charges system.

Iain Wright: The community infrastructure levy (CIL) proposals in the Planning Bill would empower local planning authorities (LPAs) and other authorities to levy a charge to help fund the infrastructure needed to support housing growth and other new development. LPAs would need to decide whether to introduce a CIL in their areas and the level at which it was set. The CIL has the potential to raise hundreds of millions of pounds of additional investment across England.

Planning Permission: Fees and Charges

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether  (a) central Government,  (b) regional planning bodies or  (c) regional development agencies will receive revenue raised by the new planning charges.

Iain Wright: The community infrastructure levy (CIL) is a local mechanism designed to help fund the infrastructure needed to support the growth in housing and other new development. The charging authorities for the CIL will usually be local planning authorities (LPAs) but it may be appropriate for charging authorities to pass CIL revenue to other bodies to deliver infrastructure as is common under the current planning obligations regime. The Government will continue to work with stakeholders to develop the detail of how this could be achieved.

Planning: Retail Trade

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she plans to publish changes to Planning Policy Statement 6; and whether she plans to consult on those changes.

Iain Wright: The Government's response to "Planning White Paper Consultation: Government response to consultation replies", which was published on 27 November 2007, reported that it remains our intention to consult on revisions to Planning Policy Statement 6: "Planning for town centres (PPS6)" early this year.

Public Expenditure

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of the Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 settlement letter from HM Treasury sent to her Department.

John Healey: Details of the DCLG's overall Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 settlement were published on 9 October 2007 as part of the 2007 pre-Budget report and Comprehensive Spending Review White Paper (Command Paper 7227). These were placed in the Library of the House at time of publication and can also be found on the HM Treasury website via
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/pbr_csr/report/pbr_csr07_repindex.cfm
	Further announcements of CLG programmes over the CSR period have been made following the CSR, including on 6 December 2007 as part of the provisional Local Government Finance settlement. Details of this can be found on the CLG website at:
	http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/0809/grant.htm

Regional Government: Manpower

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many  (a) communications,  (b) marketing,  (c) information and  (d) press officers work for each regional chamber in England.

John Healey: The following table sets out the number of staff employed by each regional assembly whose work includes  (a) communications,  (b) marketing,  (c) information and/or  (d) press officer duties.
	
		
			  Regional assembly  Number of staff  Notes 
			 East of England 1.5 (a) only 
			 East Midlands 1 (a) and (d) only 
			 North-east 0.2 (a) only 
			 North-west 0.75 (a) (b) (c) and (d) 
			 South-east 4 (a) (c) and (d) only 
			 South-west 1.8 (a) (b) (c) and (d) 
			 West midlands 1.5 (a) (b) (c) and (d) 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 1.5 (a) (c) and (d) only 
			  Note: Figures given are totals for full-time equivalent staff

Regional Planning and Development

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the status is of the National Spatial Address Infrastructure; and what the public expenditure has been on the scheme to date.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 December 2007,  Official Report, column 548W.

Standards Board: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what annual financial saving is expected following the relocation from London to Manchester of the Standards Board.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 18 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1350W.

Supporting People Programme: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding was allocated to the Supporting People budget in each year since its inception; and what the planned expenditure is in the next three years.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the indicative allocations of funding for the next three years announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing on 6 December 2007,  Official Report, column 81WS. Funding since the inception of the Supporting People programme in 2003 is set out in the table as follows:
	
		
			   SP Grant (£ billion) 
			 2003-04 1.814 
			 2004-05 1.805 
			 2005-06 1.715 
			 2006-07 1.685 
			 2007-08 1.696

UK Location Strategy

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when she expects to publish the UK Location Strategy.

Iain Wright: The Government expect to publish Place Matters: The Location Strategy for the United Kingdom early this year.

UK Location Strategy: Geographic Information Panel

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Geographic Information Panel has taken to engage the private sector in the development of the UK Location Strategy.

Iain Wright: Place Matters: The Location Strategy for the United Kingdom was developed by the United Kingdom Geographic Information Panel (GI Panel) during 2006 and 2007. Membership of the GI Panel was approved by the Minister responsible for the Panel in 2004, and is drawn from both public and private sectors, including a representative from the Association for Geographic Information representing the wider UK geographic information industry: over 50,000 companies and individual professionals from the private sector are represented on the Panel.
	The GI Panel appointed consultants to co-ordinate dialogue with a wide range of contributors from across the UK geographic information industry and related interests, representing both public and private sectors. Several workshops were arranged to gather views and discuss areas of concern. In addition wider contributions were invited by the consultants via the GI Panel website.
	These views were drawn together by the consultants to formulate the draft Strategy which was then reviewed and refined by the Location Strategy Development Group, drawn from members of the GI Panel, and finally agreed by the GI Panel itself.

UK Location Strategy: Ordnance Survey

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what role the Ordnance Survey has in preparing the UK Location Strategy.

Iain Wright: Place Matters: The Location Strategy for the United Kingdom has been prepared and submitted to Ministers by the UK Geographic Information Panel (GI Panel).
	Ordnance Survey currently provides the secretariat to the GI Panel. This role involves administrative support and preparation and circulation of documentation for consideration by the GI Panel and others as appropriate, including during preparation of the Location Strategy.
	Vanessa Lawrence (Director General and Chief Executive of Ordnance Survey) is currently Chair of the GI Panel. She was planning to stand down in April 2007, but on the recommendation of the members of the GI Panel, the Minister reappointed her as Chair for a further period.
	In this role she has chaired meetings of both the GI Panel and the UK Location Strategy Development Group drawn from the Panel. She has facilitated meetings of relevant parties during the preparation of the Strategy, and on behalf of the GI Panel, has submitted the Location Strategy to Ministers.

Urban Areas: Finance

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding  (a) her Department,  (b) its predecessor and  (c) the Government Office for the South West has provided for the sustainability of land use and transport in outer neighbourhoods project.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing on 19 October 2006,  Official Report, column 1424W. The situation has not changed since that time. The then ODPM contributed £35,000 to this project, which was part of a larger £1.75 million study being carried out by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
	No financial contributions were made by the Government office for the south-west.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the statement by the Prime Minister of 12 December 2007,  Official Report, column 305, on Afghanistan, if he will make a statement on the national solidarity programme in Afghanistan.

Douglas Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
	In his recent statement on Afghanistan, the Prime Minister announced funding of £21.65 million for the next phase of the Government of Afghanistan's National Solidarity Programme (NSP). This reflects the UK Government's continued commitment to this important programme. The NSP has been running since May 2003 and has so far reached over 20,500 communities, providing over $400 million to support more than 31,000 development projects in the areas of agriculture, education, emergency response, health, irrigation, legal livelihoods, power, public buildings, rural development, transport, water supply and sanitation.
	DFID has committed a total of almost £50 million to the NSP since 2003. We provided £17 million for Phase I (2003-06) and have made available up to £10.9 million for the roll-out of the NSP in Helmand (2006-09).

Afghanistan: Politics and Government

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 12 December 2007,  Official Report, column 303, on Afghanistan, what steps he plans to take to increase burden-sharing between partners and allies in relation to Afghanistan; and what assessment he made of the practicality of international policy on Afghanistan before his review of strategy.

Kim Howells: According to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), key shortfalls in Afghanistan at present, which will need to be met by greater burden-sharing, are trainers/mentors for Afghan National Security Forces and helicopters. The UK has launched, as a means to help meet helicopter deployability shortfalls globally, including currently notably Afghanistan and Darfur, a helicopter initiative in both the EU and NATO which involves developing an inventory of helicopter assets of partners and determining which enabling capabilities are necessary to ensure deployability on operations. We are also looking at other innovative approaches, including the potential development of consortia of countries with the right mix of helicopters, enablers and funding.
	In support of the Government of Afghanistan, we have always worked closely with the international community on the creation and implementation of international policy. Mechanisms such as the Joint Coordination and Monitoring Board are used to monitor the practical implementation of internationally agreed objectives, as detailed in the Afghanistan Compact agreed by international partners at the London conference in January 2006.

Committee of Permanent Representatives

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many  (a) A,  (b) B,  (c) I and  (d) False B Points were presented to the Council from the Committee of Permanent Representatives in 2007.

Jim Murphy: This information is not held centrally and would be difficult and disproportionately costly to compile.
	The Council Secretariat does not collect and publish details of the number of A and B points presented to the Council.
	There is no formal differentiation between Ordinary B Points and False B Points. It follows that the Secretariat's records do not show False B Points.
	I Points are not referred to the Council; members of the Committee of Permanent Representatives deal with this subject.

Departmental Languages

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what roles his Department employs native Pashtun speakers.

Kim Howells: Our embassy in Kabul and the UK-led Provincial Reconstruction Team in Lashkar Gah employ native Pashtun speakers in a variety of roles, including as special advisers, project managers, translators and office staff.

Embassies

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 December 2007,  Official Report, column 159W, on embassies, what arrangements are in place to provide alternative consular services in the case of each of the embassies, high commissions and consulates closed since May 1997.

David Miliband: Where a non-sovereign post (British consulate or British consulate general) has closed, consular services will be provided by either the sovereign post (embassy or high commission), or the nearest non-sovereign post in the country concerned, possibly through an honorary consul.
	Should a sovereign post close, an honorary consul supervised by a neighbouring post will normally be appointed. In some countries where we have no representation, under reciprocal arrangements, either an EU member state or a Commonwealth country that has representation in the country concerned may provide consular services in an emergency. Under article 20 of the treaty establishing the European Community, EU nationals in a country where their own state is not represented are entitled to consular protection from an embassy or consulate of another member state, on the same conditions as the nationals of that state.
	Our provision of consular services in those posts closed since May 1997 is as follows.
	
		
			  Posts closed since 1997-98 
			   Country  Post name  Status  Consular services 
			 1997-98 Colombia Barranquilla Consulate Covered by the Bogota Embassy 
			 1997-98 Switzerland Zurich Consulate General British Vice-Consulate reporting to Berne 
			 1998-99 Malaysia Kuching Consulate Honorary Consul reporting to Kuala Lumpur 
			 1998-99 Thailand Chiang Mai Consulate Honorary Consul reporting to Bangkok 
			 1999-2000 USA Cleveland Consulate Honorary Consul reporting to Chicago 
			 2000-01 Spain Seville Consulate Honorary Consul reporting to Malaga 
			 2003-04 Mali Bamako Embassy British Embassy Liaison Office in Canadian Embassy reporting to Accra 
			 2003-04 El Salvador San Salvador Embassy Honorary Consul reporting to Guatemala City 
			 2003-04 Honduras Tegucigalpa Embassy Honorary Consul reporting to Guatemala City 
			 2003-04 Nicaragua Managua Embassy Honorary Consul reporting to San Jose 
			 2004-05 Cameroon Douala Consulate Honorary Consul reporting to Yaounde 
			 2004-05 Portugal Oporto Consulate Honorary Consul reporting to Lisbon 
			 2005-06 Lesotho Maseru High Commission Honorary Consul reporting to Pretoria 
			 2005-06 Madagascar Antananarivo Embassy Honorary Consul reporting to Port Louis 
			 2005-06 Swaziland Mbabane High Commission Honorary Consul reporting to Pretoria 
			 2005-06 Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan Embassy UK based staff stationed in US Embassy reporting to Accra 
			 2005-06 Bahamas Nassau High Commission Honorary Consul reporting to Kingston 
			 2005-06 Paraguay Asuncion Embassy Honorary Consul reporting to Buenos Aires 
			 2005-06 USA Dallas Consulate Covered by Houston 
			 2005-06 USA San Juan (Puerto Rico) Consulate Honorary Consul reporting to Atlanta 
			 2005-06 Japan Fukuoka Consulate Covered by Osaka 
			 2005-06 Vanuatu Port Vila High Commission Reciprocal agreement with New Zealand High Commission, covered from Suva 
			 2005-06 Germany Frankfurt Consulate General Honorary Consul reporting to Dusseldorf 
			 2005-06 Germany Stuttgart Consulate General Honorary Consul reporting to Munich 
			 2005-06 Yemen Aden Consulate General Covered by Sana'a 
			 2005-06 Tonga Nuku' alofa High Commission Reciprocal agreement with NZ High Commission, covered from Suva 
			 2005-06 Haiti Port-au-Prince British Consulate Covered by British Embassy in the Dominican Republic 
			 2006-07 Australia Adelaide Consulate Honorary Consul reporting to Melbourne 
			 2006-07 East Timor Dili Embassy Covered by Jakarta 
			 2006-07 Germany Hamburg Consulate General Honorary Consul reporting to Berlin 
			 2006-07 Sweden Gothenberg Consulate General Honorary Consul reporting to Stockholm 
			 2006-07 St. Vincent and the Grenadines Kingston High Commission Honorary Consul reporting to Bridgetown 
			 2006-07 USA Seattle Consulate Honorary Consul reporting to San Francisco

Iraq: Global Strategies Group

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have employed the services of Global Strategies Group in  (a) Iraq and  (b) Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The Government have not to date contracted the services of Global Strategies Group in either Iraq or Afghanistan.
	The Government ensures that all contracts are subject to a rigorous selection process so that we obtain best value for money. Any company engaged by the Government needs to pass through a stringent and transparent procurement process in line with Public Procurement Guidelines and best practice.

Malaysia: Political Prisoners

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Malaysian Government on the imprisonment of Hindu Rights Action Force leaders P. Uthayakumar, M. Manoharan, V. Ganabatirau, R. Kenghadharan and T. Vasanthakumar under the Malaysian Internal Security Act.

Meg Munn: As yet, we have made no representations on these specific cases. However, we are considering these cases with our EU partners. The EU has previously expressed concern to the Malaysian Government about the use of the Internal Security Act.

Malaysia: Political Prisoners

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has made to the Malaysian Government regarding Malaysia's Internal Security Act, with particular reference to its provisions which allow indefinite detention without charge or trial.

Meg Munn: We are discussing with our EU partners recent arrests under the Internal Security Act. The EU has previously expressed concern to the Malaysian Government about the use of the Internal Security Act.

Maldives: Chagos Archipelago

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in negotiations with the Maldives on maritime demarcations between Maldive territorial waters and those around the Chagos Archipelago; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: There is no overlap of territorial waters between the Maldives and the British Indian Ocean Territory.
	A draft agreement on the boundary between the Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the British Indian Ocean Territory Fishery Zone was agreed at technical level in 1992, but it has never been signed and is not in force. Since 1992, the Maldives has replaced its 1976 legislation on the EEZ with Act No 6/96 dated June 1996. Notwithstanding the changes to this EEZ legislation, which introduces archipelagic baseline points, it seems to respect the boundary agreed in draft in 1992.

Maldives: Chagos Archipelago

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what use was made of the equidistance principle in determining the maritime boundaries between the Republic of Maldives and the United Kingdom territory of the Chagos Archipelago; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The draft agreement reached in 1992, which would set out the maritime boundary between the Maldives Exclusive Economic Zone and the British Indian Ocean Territory Fishery Zone, is based entirely on the equidistance principle with no adjustment.

Maldives: Chagos Archipelago

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the exchange of correspondence between the UK and the Republic of Maldives that led to the Memorandum of Agreement of 1993 on the Chagos Archipelago maritime delimitation line.

Kim Howells: Representatives of the Government of the Republic of Maldives and the Government met in November 1992 to discuss the delimitation of the maritime boundary between the Maldives and the British Indian Ocean Territory. Disclosure of the minutes to this meeting, together with a copy of the draft agreement attached thereto, could only be made after consultation with the Government of the Maldives.

Maldives: Politics and Government

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations the UK has made to the Government of the Republic of the Maldives on human rights and the development of parliamentary democracy; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I told the House on 17 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 939-942, during a debate on Maldives that we understood the challenges the Maldivian Government face to adopt and implement multi-party liberal democracy that fully observes international human rights obligations.
	Maldives has acceded to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and is now a signatory to the six core UN human rights instruments. We welcome these developments. We have always made clear to the Maldivian Government the importance of meeting international obligations on human rights, including the full and transparent investigation of any human rights based allegations. We understand that a UN human rights adviser invited by the Maldivian Government are working with them on this.
	When my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister responsible for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, met President Gayoom of Maldives in July 2007, he underlined the need to keep the reform process on track and the importance of this year's elections being free, fair, inclusive and supported by the Maldivian people. In meetings with the Maldivian Foreign Minister, Abdullah Shahid, his deputy, Dhunya Maumoon, and with the Chairman of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party, senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have emphasised the need for good faith among all political parties and for all to redouble efforts to implement democratic change in Maldives.

Middle East: Peace Negotiations

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he and  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department have had in the last six months with officials from the Palestinian Authority to discuss progress on the Middle East peace plan; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories from 17 to 19 November 2007 and met President Abbas, and Prime Minister Fayyad of the Palestinian Authority (PA). On 10 and 11 December 2007, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development called on the President, the Prime Minister and a number of Palestinian officials. On 18 December, President Abbas visited London and held meetings with my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary.
	Officials at our Consulate General in Jerusalem have regular dialogue with a wide range of PA Ministers and officials.

Russia: Entry Clearances

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent changes have been introduced to the types of UK visas available to Russian citizens.

Kim Howells: There have been no recent changes to the types of UK visa available to Russian citizens specifically. Generally, the various categories in which a person may apply to enter the UK are open to all non-European economic area nationals, regardless of their country of origin.

Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which occasions in the last 12 months he raised concerns about human rights in Saudi Arabia with  (a) the King of Saudi Arabia,  (b) members of the Government of Saudi Arabia and  (c) non-governmental organisations in Saudi Arabia.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not raised human rights with either the King, members of the Saudi Government, or non-governmental organisations since coming to office on 27 June 2007. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not visited Saudi Arabia and has not met the King.
	Our ambassador in Riyadh raises human rights on a regular basis with the Saudi authorities as part of his day-to-day responsibilities.

Saudi Arabia: Punishment

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made to the King of Saudi Arabia on the recent threatened punishment of a 19-year-old female rape victim.

Kim Howells: The Government raised the threatened punishment of a 19-year old rape victim with the Saudi authorities on several occasions, both before and after the case went to appeal. The Government also supported EU action co-ordinated by the German presidency in Riyadh.
	In December 2007, King Abdullah granted a Royal Pardon to the victim.

Terrorism: Death

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK citizens have been killed as a consequence of terrorist acts overseas in each of the last 10 years.

Kim Howells: Our records show that the number of UK citizens killed as a consequence of terrorist acts overseas since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 1997 7 
			 1998 4 
			 1999 0 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 82 
			 2002 28 
			 2003 5 
			 2004 7 
			 2005 18 
			 2006 1 
			 2007 0 
		
	
	These figures are for both British and dual British nationals. However, they do not include the number of British nationals in the armed forces or those working for private military security firms, who have been killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Turkey: Human Rights

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to hold discussions with his Turkish counterpart on the observance of the human rights of the Assyrian minority living within Turkey.

Jim Murphy: We raise freedom of religion issues with the Turkish Government on a regular basis and meetings with members of the Assyrian minority are always included in the regional visits programme. In 2007, officials from our Embassy in Ankara visited Assyrian communities in Diyarbakir, Elazig and Mardin and His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales met Archbishop Mor Philoxenos Yusuf Cetin in Istanbul on 28 November 2007.
	Turkey's overall human rights record is subject to intense scrutiny during EU accession negotiations, and advancement in the negotiations is measured against Turkey's progress in a number of areas, including the fundamental and cultural rights of religious and other minority groups in Turkey.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carers: Finance

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what budget was allocated for carers and the carer's allowance in  (a) Dacorum and  (b) England in each year since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: Funding for carers in general is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health. For carer's allowance, which is paid for by DWP, no set budget is allocated. All claims that meet the conditions of entitlement are awarded. Details of expenditure on carer's allowance are in the following table.
	
		
			  Carer's allowance paid out in the local authority of Dacorum and in England 
			£ million cash terms  £ million in 2007-08 prices 
			   Status  Dacorum  England  Dacorum  England 
			 2003-04 Outturn 1.6 876.1 1.8 975.5 
			 2004-05 Outturn 1.7 912.8 1.8 989.0 
			 2005-06 Outturn 1.8 958.8 1.9 1017.6 
			 2006-07 Provisional outturn 1.8 996.8 1.9 1029.2 
			  Notes: 1. All figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand pounds. 2. Prior to August 2003, carer's allowance (CA) figures were based on those with entitlement only. This means that caseloads cannot be broken down by whether or not a case is in payment. As a result, CA figures are restricted to August 2003 onwards. 3. All figures are consistent with the 2007 pre-Budget report and comprehensive spending review.  Source: Expenditure has been taken from departmental accounting systems and combined with 100 per cent. statistical data to identify the proportion of expenditure paid as carer's allowance in Dacorum and in England.

Child Support

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of Child Support Agency cases have been transferred from the original system to the 2003 system.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 20 November 2007
	 The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 9 January 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of Child Support Agency cases have been transferred from the original system to the 2003 system.
	The total number of cases being handled by the Agency at the end of September 2007 can be found on Table 1 of the September 2007 Quarterly Summary of Statistics. A copy of this is available in the House of Commons Library, or on the internet via the following link: www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/child_support/csa_quarterly_sep07.asp.
	At the end of September 2007, 756,700 cases had transferred from the old computer system to the new computer system. 405,800 of these cases are currently being handled by the Agency. This represents 30 per cent of the total cases the Agency is currently handling. The remaining 350,900 cases are closed. Of the total cases transferred from the old computer system to the new computer system, the number which have then been transferred from an old scheme assessment to a new scheme assessment is 70,300. Of these, 69,400 are currently being handled by the Agency, representing 5 per cent of the total cases the Agency is currently handling. The remaining 900 cases are closed.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency: Bolton

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of staff at the Bolton Child Support Agency offices were employed  (a) on permanent contracts,  (b) on temporary contracts and  (c) via an employment agency in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 9 January 2007:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of staff at the Bolton Child Support Agency offices were employed (a) on permanent contracts (b) on temporary contracts and (c) via an employment agency in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.
	The Agency contracted out the management of its clerical cases to Vertex Data Science Ltd in September 2006. They process this work on our behalf at the Bolton site. The decision to contract out the management of clerical work was always a short-term measure which allowed the Agency to increase the number of people focusing on other improvement work outlined in the Operational Improvement Plan, including reducing the number of uncleared applications and strengthening enforcement. The intention has always been to make the necessary changes to our IT to allow these cases to be maintained on the Agency's computer systems.
	Vertex Data Science Ltd are therefore responsible for employing the necessary staff to deliver the service, under a contract which currently runs to September 2008. I can assure you however, that the procurement exercise undertaken to award the contract included a thorough evaluation of all recruitment and employment practices including HR policies, to ensure that they were compatible with those of the Department.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Child Support Agency: Complaints

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time was for the Child Support Agency to resolve a complaint about their actions in 2006-07.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 9 January 2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average time was for the Child Support Agency to resolve a complaint about their actions in 2006-07.
	The Agency measures the proportion of complaints which were resolved, or which had a resolution plan agreed with the client, within 15 days of receiving the complaint. In the year to March 2007, 88 percent of both old and new scheme complaints met this standard.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many absent parents in each constituency in Scotland have been transferred from the old to the new system of assessment by the Child Support Agency in each year since its introduction; and how many of these transfers were triggered by a new case involving the individual.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 9 Januaryj2008:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many absent parents in each constituency in Scotland have been transferred from the old to the new system of assessment by the Child Support Agency in each year since its introduction; and how many of these transfers were triggered by a new case involving the individual.
	The number of converted cases transferring from the old to the new system of assessment is provided in the attached table. When a new child support application is made, the case may have one or more links, through the parent with care or non-resident parent or their partners, to existing cases. If a link is established to one or more cases on the old computer system, then these cases will be transferred to the new computer system, along with any further cases that are linked to them.
	We are not able to say how many converted cases were triggered by a new case, involving the individual. Cases converted may be due to a link through the Non-Resident Parents partner.
	A similar question was tabled by Mr Michael Weir MP on 12 October 2007 [PQ/07/158435], requesting the number of converted cases in Angus constituency and in Scotland. While answering your related question, an error was discovered in the response given to Mr Weir concerning the number of converted cases for 2006/07. The revised figures for Scotland are therefore included in this answer.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  The volume of converted cases by constituency in Scotland each year 
			  Parliamentary constituency  April 2003 -March 2004  April 2004 -March 2005  April 2005 -March 2006  April 2006 -March 2007  April 2007 -September 2007 
			 Aberdeen North 10 20 30 40 10 
			 Aberdeen South 0 10 10 20 10 
			 Airdrie and Shotts 10 20 20 30 10 
			 Angus 20 20 30 40 20 
			 Argyll and Bute 0 10 20 20 10 
			 Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock 20 30 30 30 10 
			 Banff and Buchan 0 10 10 30 20 
			 Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk 10 10 20 40 10 
			 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 10 0 20 20 0 
			 Central Ayrshire 10 10 30 30 10 
			 Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill 10 10 30 40 20 
			 Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East 10 20 20 40 10 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 10 20 30 50 10 
			 Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale 10 10 30 20 10 
			 Dundee East 10 10 40 50 20 
			 Dundee West 30 40 60 60 20 
			 Dunfermline and West Fife 20 20 40 40 20 
			 East Dunbartonshire 0 0 10 10 0 
			 East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow 10 0 20 20 10 
			 East Lothian 10 10 20 20 10 
			 East Renfrewshire 0 0 10 10 0 
			 Edinburgh East 10 10 20 20 20 
			 Edinburgh North and Leith 10 20 20 30 10 
			 Edinburgh South 0 10 10 20 10 
			 Edinburgh South West 10 10 30 30 10 
			 Edinburgh West 10 10 10 10 10 
			 Falkirk 10 10 30 20 10 
			 Glasgow Central 10 10 20 30 10 
			 Glasgow East 10 20 40 40 10 
			 Glasgow North 0 10 10 20 0 
			 Glasgow North East 10 20 40 30 20 
			 Glasgow North West 10 20 30 40 20 
			 Glasgow South 0 20 110 20 10 
			 Glasgow South West 10 20 50 50 10 
			 Glenrothes 20 20 50 60 20 
			 Gordon 10 10 10 10 0 
			 Inverclyde 10 20 40 30 10 
			 Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 10 20 20 20 20 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun 10 20 40 50 20 
			 Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 20 30 50 60 20 
			 Lanark and Hamilton East 10 10 20 40 10 
			 Linlithgow and East Falkirk 20 20 20 40 20 
			 Livingston 20 30 30 40 10 
			 Midlothian 0 10 20 30 10 
			 Moray 10 10 20 30 10 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw 10 30 30 50 20 
			 Na h-Eileanan an lar 0 0 0 10 0 
			 North Ayrshire and Arran 10 20 30 40 10 
			 North East Fife 10 10 20 20 10 
			 Ochil and South Perthshire 10 20 30 40 20 
			 Orkney and Shetland 0 0 0 10 10 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire North 10 10 10 30 0 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire South 10 10 30 30 10 
			 Perth and North Perthshire 10 20 30 40 20 
			 Ross, Skye and Lochaber 10 10 10 10 10 
			 Rutherglen and Hamilton West 10 20 20 30 10 
			 Stirling 10 10 20 20 10 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 10 10 10 20 10 
			 West Dunbartonshire 20 20 30 30 20 
			 Total Converted cases 540 820 1,420 1,760 680 
			  Notes: 1. A converted case is classified as where a new scheme application can have a financial impact on an existing old scheme case, when either the non-resident parent or the parent with care on the new application is also the non-resident parent or parent with care on the existing case. In this situation, the old scheme cases in question will also be converted to the new scheme. 2. When a conversion is completed, it may reveal other links which also require conversion. 3. The latest available data is at September 2007. 4. This table revises information given in response to PQ458435 which overstated the volume of converted cases in Scotland in 2006-07 by 130. 5. Volumes are rounded to the nearest 10. 6. Totals may not sum due to rounding

Children: Maintenance

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many non-resident parents have been asked by the Child Support Agency (CSA) to pay historical arrears from 10 years or more ago; what evidence is used by the CSA to establish the level of arrears; and how many people have been unable to pay within two years.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty, 9 January 2008:
	In reply to your recent parliamentary question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many non-resident parents have been asked by the Child Support Agency (CSA) to pay historical arrears from 10 years or more ago; what evidence is used by the CSA to establish the level of arrears; and how many people have been unable to pay within two years.
	Information on how many non-resident parents have been asked by the Child Support Agency to pay historical arrears from 10 years or more ago or on how many people have been unable to repay maintenance due within two years is not available.
	The Agency establishes the level of child support arrears based on the weekly liability of the non-resident parent for any period that payments have not been made. In many cases, as the non-resident parent may not have co-operated fully in the assessment of their maintenance liability, the Agency will proceed on the basis of the best information available in order to start maintenance flowing to the children involved.
	In cases where the non-resident parent has initially provided enough evidence to assess the maintenance liability but has subsequently failed to comply or to keep the Agency informed of any relevant changes, arrears will accrue based on the last maintenance assessment. Although the non-resident parent can at any time supply information which may lead to a review of this maintenance assessment from the time that the new information is supplied, regulations do not allow the arrears already accrued to be recalculated. In addition, any support that the non-resident parent may have provided direct to their children and without the Agency's involvement, can only be counted as complying with the maintenance assessment, and therefore reducing the arrears, if the parent with care agrees.
	In cases where the non-resident parent, assessed under the old rules, has not supplied enough information to assess the maintenance liability the Agency may apply an interim maintenance assessment. This assessment is likely to be set at a rate higher than the non-resident parent's maintenance assessment would have been had they cooperated with the Agency, but it nevertheless remains enforceable. The high level of the assessment is intended to provide an incentive to co-operate with the Agency and provide the information required to make a full maintenance assessment.
	In cases where the non-resident parent, assessed under the new rules, is unable to supply enough information to assess the maintenance liability the Agency may apply a default maintenance assessment. A default maintenance assessment is used to ensure that at least some maintenance flows to the children although it tends to be set at a safe level, usually lower than a full maintenance assessment.
	In both these cases, where a full maintenance assessment is not in force, the non-resident parent can at any time supply the relevant information which may lead to a review of the interim or default maintenance assessment and obtain a revised arrears calculation where appropriate. In the case of interim maintenance assessments, this can lead to a substantial reduction in arrears owed.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Conditions of Employment: Mental Health

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 27 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 27-30WS, on mental health and employment, when he expects to publish a national strategy for mental health and work; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: On 27 November we announced our intention to develop a national strategy for mental health and employment. The strategy will ensure that there is a co-ordinated response across Government to the challenges faced by people of working age with mental health conditions, improving their employment chances.
	We intend to appoint a stakeholder steering group, to be chaired by Dame Carol Black, the National Director for Health and Work, to oversee the development of the strategy. This steering group will be appointed in the new year and will then lead work on the development of the strategy which forms part of wider work on the health and employment agenda.
	The expansion of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme at a cost of £170 million over three years, together with the £13 million now made available by the DWP for additional support for GPs and employers, represents a considerable Government commitment to supporting those with mental health conditions. This is in addition to the funding already committed to the roll-out of Pathways to Work, including the Condition Management programmes.

Conditions of Employment: Mental Health

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 27 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 27-30WS, on mental health and employment, what the evidential basis is for his statement that substantial progress has been made in mental health and employment since 1997.

Anne McGuire: Mental health and employment has been a long-standing problem, requiring a long-term solution. We have made progress in putting in place the necessary structures and initiatives which are already helping people with mental health conditions both to obtain and to remain in work.
	The latest employment rate for disabled people whose main health condition is mental illness, depression or anxiety is 22 per cent. (Labour Force Survey July-September 2007). The employment rate for this group has significantly improved since 1998 when the employment rate was around 15 per cent.
	Since 1997, there has been a significant increase in the funding provided for mental health services. We now have 55 per cent. more consultant psychiatrists than we had in 1997, almost 70 per cent. more clinical psychologists and at least 20 per cent. more mental health nurses. In October 2007, the Department of Health announced the expansion of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme at a cost of £170 million over three years.
	Additionally, this Department has greatly increased the employment support it offers people with health conditions. Examples include the new deal for disabled people, including specialist individually tailored support and advice, as well as the piloting and continuing national roll-out of Pathways to Work, which includes the groundbreaking Condition Management Programmes.
	Furthermore, from October 2008 incapacity benefits will be replaced by the new employment and support allowance, a more positive benefit offering additional support for customers in return for increased responsibility on them to engage with Jobcentre Plus. Underpinning the allowance will be a new medical test, the work capability assessment. The new assessment's test of mental health will be significantly improved compared to the current personal capability assessment, dealing better with the challenges faced by people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities.

Conditions of Employment: Mental Health

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 27 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 27-30WS, on mental health and employment, how much his Department has spent on mental health services  (a) in total and  (b) as a percentage of departmental expenditure in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: Spending on mental health services generally, is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.
	This Department provides a range of services that provide help and support to people with mental health problems. These programmes are generally available to those with mental and/or physical health problems. It is not possible to break down programme expenditure by specific health condition.

Departmental ICT

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many attempted hacking or suspected cyber attacks or other malicious computer security breaches were committed against the computer systems of  (a) his Department and  (b) the Child Support Agency in each of the last three years for which information is available; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: It is not in the interests of the UK's national security for Departments to confirm whether they hold information about attacks against their IT systems. This would enable individuals to deduce how successful the UK is in detecting these attacks and so assist such persons in testing the effectiveness of the UK's IT defences. This is not in the public interest.

Departmental Labour Turnover

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the percentage turnover of staff was in  (a) his Department and  (b) his Department's agencies in (i) the last 12-month period and (ii) the last 24-month period for which figures are available.

Anne McGuire: The percentage turnover of staff in the Department for Work and Pensions and its agencies for the 12-month period ending March 2006 and the 12-month period ending March 2007 is in the following table.
	
		
			   Percentage turnover 12-months ending March 2007  Percentage turnover 12-months ending March 2006 
			 DWP Overall 6.37 7.11 
			 Jobcentre Plus 6.12 6.69 
			 The Pension Service 7.46 8.68 
			 Child Support Agency 8.79 8.70 
			 Disability and Carers Service 4.62 5.89 
			 The Rent Service 5.87 8.28 
			 Appeals Service n/a 9.48 
			 Departmental Corporate Units 5.13 6.76 
			  Note: Appeals Service transferred to the Department for Constitutional Affairs on 1 April 2006.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the possibility of allocating savings made from the annual management expenditure budget to the departmental expenditure limit; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: My Department and HM Treasury have agreed that as savings in annual managed expenditure delivered by the Pathways to Work programme are demonstrated, HM Treasury will look to provide additional DEL funding to DWP to help fund further roll-out of the welfare reform agenda. Any such funding will be allocated through normal processes.

Employment

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of people who were in part-time work and who were seeking full-time work in each year since 1997.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 7 January 2008:
	.
	The information requested is given in the table overleaf.
	The figures in the table are estimates from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for the three month period ending in June of 1997, 1999 and 2001-07. Comparable estimates are not currently available for 1998 or 2000.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	
		
			  Part-time workers( 1)  by whether looking for a replacement or additional full-time or part-time job( 2,3) , United Kingdom, April-June 1997, 1999, 2001-07, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Thousand and percentage 
			   Looking for a new job to replace present (main) job  Looking for an additional job   
			  Three months ending June  Full-time  Part-time  No preference: full-time or part-time  Total( 4)  Full-time  Part-time  No preference:  full-time or part-time  Total( 4)  Not looking for a replacement or additional job  Total( 1,5) 
			  Thousand   
			 1997 249 138 29 424 35 89 20 161 5,924 6,520 
			 1998 (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— 
			 1999 213 150 27 398 29 75 11 127 6,136 6,665 
			 2000 (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— 
			 2001 190 139 28 366 21 65 8 105 6,374 6,852 
			 2002 188 134 21 354 23 69 9 114 6,527 7,004 
			 2003 194 143 27 373 23 55 12 103 6,672 7,155 
			 2004 201 125 21 362 24 69 12 121 6,718 7,211 
			 2005 195 134 24 362 25 67 10 115 6,672 7,162 
			 2006 221 154 22 406 20 68 6 106 6,641 7,163 
			 2007 240 132 25 406 19 76 9 117 6,635 7,173 
			  Percentage( 6)   
			 1997 3.9 2.2 0.5 6.5 0.6 1.5 0.3 2.5 91.0 100.0 
			 1998 (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— 
			 1999 3.3 2.3 0.4 6.0 0.5 1.2 0.2 1.9 92.1 100.0 
			 2000 (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— 
			 2001 2.8 2.1 0.4 5.3 0.4 1.1 0.1 1.5 93.1 100.0 
			 2002 2.8 2.0 0.3 5.1 0.4 1.1 0.2 1.6 93.3 100.0 
			 2003 2.8 2.0 0.4 5.2 0.4 0.9 0.2 1.4 93.3 100.0 
			 2004 2.9 1.8 0.3 5.0 0.4 1.1 0.2 1.7 93.3 100.0 
			 2005 2.8 1.9 0.3 5.1 0.4 1.1 0.2 1.6 93.3 100.0 
			 2006 3.2 2.2 0.3 5.7 0.3 1.1 0.1 1.5 92.9 100.0 
			 2007 3.4 1.9 0.4 5.7 0.3 1.2 0.1 1.6 92.7 100.0 
			 (1 )Employees and self-employed people whose main job is part-time (based on respondents' self-classification of full-time/part-time status). (2 )Whether looking for a different job (to replace present main job) or for an additional job during the survey reference week. (3 )Estimates at this detailed level are produced from the LFS microdata, which are weighted to the population estimates published by ONS in February and March 2003. They do not incorporate the more recent population estimates used in the headline LFS series that are published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release. (4 )Total includes people who did not state whether they were looking for a full-time or part-time job. (5 )Total includes people who did not state whether or not they were looking for a different or additional job. (6 )Base for percentage excludes people who did not state whether they were looking for a different/additional job, or whether they were looking for a full-time or part-time job. (7) Comparable estimates are not currently available for 1998 or 2000.  Note: As with any sample survey, estimates from the Labour Force Survey are subject to a margin or uncertainty.  Source : Labour Source Survey

Incapacity Benefits: Mental Health

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were in receipt of  (a) incapacity benefit and  (b) other out-of-work benefits as a result of mental health conditions in each year since 1997.

Anne McGuire: The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance claimants whose primary diagnosis is within the mental and behavioural disorders group of diagnoses, in Great Britain; as at May each year 
			   Number of claimants 
			 1997 732,100 
			 1998 787,500 
			 1999 830,400 
			 2000 869,750 
			 2001 933,070 
			 2002 980,670 
			 2003 1,025,820 
			 2004 1,065,520 
			 2005 1,086,190 
			 2006 1,092,910 
			 2007 1,104,310 
			  Notes:  1 . These figures relate to people claiming incapacity benefit and not just people of working age. 2. May 1997 to May 1999 (inclusive) figures are uprated to WPLS totals and rounded to the nearest hundred. 3. May 2000 to May 2007 (inclusive) numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. 4. Incapacity benefit claimants include those receiving national insurance-credits only; some claimants may also receive income support. 5. Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation.  Source:  DWP Information Directorate 5 per cent. sample and 100 per cent. Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study

National Insurance: Foreign Workers

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many national insurance numbers were issued to  (a) dependants of non-EU work permit holders,  (b) non-EU students,  (c) non-EU highly skilled migrants,  (d) non-EU International Graduate Scheme participants,  (e) non-EU Fresh Talent in Scotland Scheme participants,  (f) non-EU working holidaymakers and  (g) non-EU work permit holders since 1 January 2004, broken down by nationality;
	(2)  how many national insurance numbers were issued to non-EU citizens with leave to remain in the UK by virtue of  (a) refugee status,  (b) humanitarian protection,  (c) discretionary leave and  (d) leave under the backlog criteria between (i) 3 April 2002 and 31 December 2003 and (ii) 1 January 2004 to 5 April 2007;
	(3)  how many national insurance numbers were issued to  (a) dependants of non-EU work permit holders,  (b) non-EU students,  (c) non-EU highly skilled migrants,  (d) non-EU Fresh Talent Working in Scotland Scheme participants,  (e) non-EU working holidaymakers and  (f) non-EU work permit holders between (i) 3 April 2002 and 31 December 2003 and (ii) 1 January 2004 to 5 April 2007.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 12 November 2007
	The information requested is not available.
	Information on a foreign national's basis of stay in the United Kingdom is not held on NINO registrations database.

Pensions: Financial Assistance Scheme

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to report on the Young review on the Financial Assistance Scheme.

Mike O'Brien: The Young review was published on 17 December 2007.

Social Security Benefits: Personal Records

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether staff authorised to access the entire database for benefits administered by his Department are subject to criminal records checks.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 26 November 2007
	All prospective employees, including those who are authorised to access the databases containing benefits information, are required to complete a declaration as to whether they have any criminal records, prior to appointment. The Department carries out a percentage criminal records check of successful applicants.

HEALTH

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what files are held by his Department on  (a) the Abortion (Amendment) Bill of Session 1987-88 and  (b) the Unborn Children (Protection) Bills of sessions (i) 1984-85, (ii) 1985-86 and (iii) 1987-88; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: There are two registered files held by the Department covering the Abortion (Amendment) Bill of Session 1987-88 and six files held by the Department on the Unborn Children (Protection) Bills of sessions 1984-85, 1985-86 and 1987-88.

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what files are held by his Department on the Abortion Act 1967; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: There are approximately 856 registered files held by the Department on different aspects of abortion policy and on the delivery of the services permitted under the Abortion Act 1967.

Alcoholic Drinks: Abuse

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the alcohol industry on new programmes to reduce binge drinking among young  (a) men and  (b) women; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Coaker) and I met representatives of the alcohol industry on 17 December 2007. We discussed among other matters, the independent review of the industry's social responsibility standards shortly to be commissioned by the Home Office. I updated the industry on the independent review of alcohol pricing, promotion and harm shortly to be commissioned by the Department. We discussed the possibility of voluntary action by the industry to restrict irresponsible alcohol promotions, including those which appeal to young people and agreed to continue discussions early in 2008.
	The Government are working with the police, and the alcohol industry to prevent the sale of alcohol to under-18s. This includes the wider use of fixed penalty notices to staff who sell to under-18s, confiscation of alcohol from minors, working with the industry to improve premises management and training for bar staff to ensure that identification is requested and checked from anyone who looks under age. The recent Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaigns have shown that a united effort to crack down on binge drinking, as well as the sale of alcohol to under-18s, can make a real impact. The industry expressed support for these actions.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) adults and  (b) children were admitted to accident and emergency departments in England as a result of drinking alcohol in the last (i) 12 months and (ii) five years, broken down by strategic health authority.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available has been placed in the Library.

Ambulance Services: Crimes of Violence

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many assaults on ambulance staff have been committed in each of the last three years, broken down by ambulance trust.

Ann Keen: In April 2003 the National Health Service Security Management Service (NHS SMS) was created and assumed responsibility for tackling violence against NHS staff. The NHS SMS has collected data on the number of reported physical assaults on NHS ambulance staff in England in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07.
	The number of physical assaults reported in the period 2004-05 to 2006-07, broken down by ambulance trust, is shown in the following tables:
	
		
			  Reported physical assaults on ambulance staff in England in 2004-05 and 2005-06 
			   2004-05  2005-06 
			 Avon Ambulance Service NHS Trust 40 32 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Ambulance and Paramedic Service NHS Trust 23 23 
			 Coventry and Warwickshire Ambulance NHS Trust 17 31 
			 Cumbria Ambulance Service NHS Trust 16 5 
			 Dorset Ambulance NHS Trust 19 20 
			 East Anglian Ambulance NHS Trust 28 36 
			 East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust 58 53 
			 Essex Ambulance Service NHS Trust 33 6 
			 Gloucestershire Ambulance Services NHS Trust 2 4 
			 Greater Manchester Ambulance Service NHS Trust 165 112 
			 Hampshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 32 28 
			 Hereford and Worcester Ambulance Service NHS Trust 18 15 
			 Kent Ambulance NHS Trust 30 16 
			 Lancashire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 15 9 
			 Lincolnshire Ambulance and Health Transport Service NHS Trust 10 17 
			 London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 364 325 
			 Mersey Regional Ambulance Service NHS Trust 64 47 
			 North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust 73 46 
			 Oxfordshire Ambulance NHS Trust 5 4 
			 Royal Berkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 18 10 
			 South Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 14 14 
			 Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 16 15 
			 Surrey Ambulance Service NHS Trust 36 30 
			 Sussex Ambulance Service NHS Trust 38 21 
			 Tees East and North Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 35 41 
			 Two Shires Ambulance NHS Trust 8 9 
			 West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust 47 46 
			 West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service NHS Trust 49 29 
			 Westcountry Ambulance Services NHS Trust 49 44 
			 Wiltshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 11 16 
			 Totals 1,333 1,104 
		
	
	
		
			  Reported physical assaults on ambulance staff in England in 2006-07 
			   2006-07 
			 East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust 74 
			 East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust 77 
			 Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust 34 
			 London Ambulance Service NHS Trust 297 
			 North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust 39 
			 North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust 166 
			 South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust 38 
			 South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust 81 
			 South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust 47 
			 Staffordshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 11 
			 West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust 99 
			 Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust 43 
			 Totals 1,006 
			  Note:  In 2006-07 reconfiguration reduced the number of ambulance trusts from 30 to 12

Arthritis: Medical Treatments

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the assessment of the availability of access to  (a) anti-TNF medicines and  (b) other biologic therapies for patients with rheumatoid arthritis; whether any overall assessment has been made of (i) access to and (ii) efficiency of rheumatoid arthritis medicines and therapies; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The Department has made no assessment of the availability of anti-TNF medicines, and other biologic therapies, for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. All primary care trusts in England and Wales are obliged to fund, from general allocations, anti-TNF therapy for those patients with rheumatoid arthritis who meet the clinical guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.
	We are not aware of any overall assessment of access to, and the efficiency of, medicines and therapies for rheumatoid arthritis.

Assura Group

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that his Department collects and publishes information on  (a) activities of the Assura Group throughout the NHS and  (b) the expenditure of the Assura Group via polyclinics.

Ben Bradshaw: This is not a matter for the Department. It is for primary care trusts to collect information, including details of locally negotiated contracts, on those providers delivering services on its behalf.

Baby Care Units: West Midlands

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many neo-natal unit nurses there are in hospitals in the West Midlands.

Dawn Primarolo: Information relating to the numbers of neo-natal unit nurses requested is not held centrally by the Department.
	It is for primary care trusts (PCTs) and strategic health authorities to analyse their local workforce needs and develop plans, in liaison with providers and service users, to deliver high quality, safe services and take action to secure the appropriate staff and skills to deliver these services.
	The 2008-09 operating framework has reinforced neonatal services as a top national health service priority. In 2008-009, PCTs should aim to ensure that sufficient numbers of maternity staff and neonatal teams are in place to meet local needs.
	The Department has sponsored research by the NHS National Workforce Projects, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health to review the workforce in maternity, paediatric and neonatal services and to promote sustainable service models. This includes looking at the challenge of fully implementing the European Working Time Directive for doctors in training from August 2009. Findings will be published in 2008.

Blood Contamination

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of  (a) malaria and  (b) other diseases apart from HIV and CJD were caused by blood transfusion in England between (i) 1980 and 1990 and (ii) 2000 and 2005.

Dawn Primarolo: There have been five cases of malaria transmission in England since the mid-1980s: in 1986 (two cases), 1994, 1997, and 2003. The National Blood Service (NBS) does not hold data on transmission of other infections prior to 1995.
	For the years 2000 to 2005, the annual summaries of the NBS/Health Protection Agency Infection Surveillance Scheme record the following infections (excluding malaria) transmitted by blood transfusion for the United Kingdom (excluding Scotland):
	Hepatitis A: two incidents (two infected recipients);
	Hepatitis B: four incidents (four infected recipients);
	Hepatitis E: one incident (one infected recipient); and
	Bacteria: 16 incidents (16 infected recipients) including:
	one incident of Bacillus cereus, one incident of Coagulase negative Staphylococci,
	one incident of Enterobacter aerogenes, two incidents of Group B Streptococcus,
	one incident of Morganella morganii, two incidents of Staphylococcus aureus and
	eight incidents of Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Bone Diseases: Medical Treatments

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that the issuing of final guidance by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on the two anti-TNF treatments for ankylosing spondylitis is not affected by appeals relating to the anti-TNF treatment rejected by NICE.

Ann Keen: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has received two appeals against its final appraisal determination on adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. Final guidance will not be published until the appeals have been heard.
	Funding for licensed treatments should not be withheld because guidance from NICE is unavailable. In December 2006, we issued refreshed good practice guidance which asks national health service bodies to continue with local arrangements for the managed introduction of new technologies where guidance from NICE is not available at the time the treatment or technology first becomes available.

Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Finance

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential impact on the Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust of the removal of the specialist top-up funds paid to district general hospitals.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 7 January 2008
	We have carried out an assessment of the potential financial impact for Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch NHS Foundation Trust. Based on the latest data available to the Department, we expect that their income for specialist activity in 2008-09 will be broadly similar to that in 2007-08.

Campylobacter

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many campylobacter infections were recorded in England in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The following laboratory reports of Campylobacter infections were received in each of the last five years in England:
	
		
			  Year  Total 
			 2000 54,698 
			 2001 51,850 
			 2002 45,513 
			 2003 43,954 
			 2004 41,853 
			 2005 44,222 
			 2006 43,795 
			 Total 325,885

Cancer Patients: Administrative Delays

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets there are for waiting times for cancer patients requiring diagnostic endoscopies; and what the average waiting time is for cancer patients awaiting diagnostic endoscopies in each hospital in the most recent period for which information is available.

Ann Keen: Patients referred with suspected cancer should wait no longer than two weeks to see a cancer specialist and no longer than 62 days, including all diagnostic tests, to commencing treatment.
	A table showing the average waiting time for all patients waiting for endoscopies, has been placed in the Library. Data for cancer patients waiting for endoscopies is not collected centrally.

Cancer: Health Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the funding contribution of his Department as part of the consortium funding the infrastructure support for the five Public Health Research Centres of Excellence was as described in paragraph 2.59 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy; and what the other  (a) organisations and  (b) individuals contributing funds to the consortium were.

Dawn Primarolo: The United Kingdom Clinical Research Collaboration Public Health Research Centres of Excellence are funded by eight organisations that are together contributing a total of £21.15 million over a five-year period. The organisations concerned, and their individual financial contributions are:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 British Heart Foundation 2.5 
			 Cancer Research UK 2.5 
			 Department of Health 5 
			 Economic and Social Research Council 2.5 
			 Medical Research Council 3 
			 Northern Ireland HSC 0.15 
			 Wellcome Trust 5 
			 Welsh Office of Research and Development 0.5

Cancer: Health Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the commissioning brief issued by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme, referred to in paragraph 3.36 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy.

Dawn Primarolo: Copies of the commissioning brief have been placed in the Library.

Cancer: Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what new equipment for genetic testing is coming on stream, as described in paragraph 2.41 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy, published on 3 December 2007; and how many tests for cancer genes have been carried out in each of the last four years.

Dawn Primarolo: The new equipment referred to in paragraph 2.54 of the Cancer Reform Strategy was funded through an investment of £18 million under the 2003 Genetics White Paper "Our Inheritance, our Future—realising the potential of genetics in the National Health Service". The funding has modernised and expanded genetics laboratory capacity through investment in automated and high volume technology. This includes automated DNA extraction systems, high throughput DNA sequencers and microarray readers. This increased funding has also allowed many of the processes in the laboratory such as, the amplification of DNA and liquid handling to be automated with the purchase of robotics. In addition, the improvements in both information technology hardware and software has lead to significant improvements in the time taken to analyse the data generated.
	The Department does not collect data centrally on the numbers of genetic tests carried out for the purpose of identifying, or predicting the risk of developing, inherited forms of cancer.

Cancer: Screening

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health where the seven pilot sites were established to develop new services for assessing genetic risk, as described in paragraph 2.50 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy; and when he expects the evaluation of the pilot sites being undertaken by the University of Nottingham to be published.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department co-funded the seven pilot sites in collaboration with Macmillan Cancer Support. The sites were:
	South West London Cancer Network and joint cancer centres;
	Yorkshire Regional Genetics Service, North Kirklees PCT and Bradford Hospitals NHS Trust;
	Cancer Care Alliance (South Durham, Teesside and North Yorkshire);
	South East London Cancer Network, Lambeth and Southwark PCT, specialist cancer services at Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital and Guy's Regional Genetics Centre;
	Poole PCT;
	Somerset Coast PCT; and
	Oldham PCT
	The University of Nottingham is undertaking an evaluation of the organisational issues associated with the introduction of new types of service into the national health service, such as these cancer genetics services and other service development pilots funded under the 2003 Genetics White Paper. Its report is due in autumn 2008.
	The individual cancer genetics service pilot sites are evaluating the effectiveness of their services and this evidence will contribute to the development of the guidance for commissioners referred to in the Cancer Reform Strategy (paragraph 2.53).

Cannabis: Misuse

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes resulting from the misuse of cannabis there were for  (a) patients aged under 18 years and  (b) patients aged over 18 years in (i) England and (ii) each strategic health authority area in each year from 1997-98 to 2006-07.

Dawn Primarolo: Information as requested is not collected.
	Data on the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) is only available from April 2004, with national data on under-18s available from April 2005.
	The NDTMS does not monitor activity through 'finished consultant episodes'—the data relates to structured treatment activity for all those providing treatment for drug misuse and records those who attend specialist drug treatment services only.
	The following data shows the number of individuals who received drug treatment for cannabis, and is broken down by SHA. There are separate figures for adults (over 18) and young people (under 18) in 2005-06 and 2006-07, and figures for over 18s only for 2004-05.
	 2006-07 data
	 England total
	Total over 18s receiving treatment of cannabis was 16,685
	Total under 18s receiving treatment of cannabis was 9,259
	
		
			  Data by strategic health authority (SHA)  18 and over 18  Under 18  Total 
			 East Midlands SHA 1,185 747 1,932 
			 East of England SHA 1,833 523 2,356 
			 London SHA 4,000 2,007 6,007 
			 North East SHA 822 605 1,427 
			 North West SHA 2,631 1,949 4,580 
			 South Central SHA 697 568 1,265 
			 South East Coast SHA 958 617 1,575 
			 South West SHA 1,688 722 2,410 
			 West Midlands SHA 1,426 862 2,288 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber SHA 1,445 659 2,104 
			 Total 16,685 9,259 25,944 
			  Source: NDTMS 
		
	
	 2005-06 data
	 England total
	Total over 18s receiving treatment of cannabis was 14,828
	Total under 18s receiving treatment of cannabis was 8,014
	
		
			  Data by SHA  18 and over  18  Under  18  Total 
			 Avon Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA 670 375 1,045 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA 524 95 619 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country SHA 592 383 975 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside SHA 761 491 1,252 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA 304 264 568 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 349 126 475 
			 Dorset and Somerset SHA 393 119 512 
			 Essex SHA 800 126 926 
			 Greater Manchester SHA 1,039 839 1,878 
			 Hampshire and Isle Of Wight SHA 492 184 676 
			 Kent and Medway SHA 394 149 543 
			 Leicestershire Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA 209 180 389 
			 Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA 566 160 726 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire SHA 504 222 726 
			 North Central London SHA 505 359 864 
			 North East London SHA 606 226 832 
			 North West London SHA 1,005 343 1,348 
			 Northumberland Tyne and Wear SHA 447 432 879 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA 202 177 379 
			 South East London SHA 560 276 836 
			 South West London SHA 678 368 1,046 
			 South West Peninsula SHA 371 228 599 
			 South Yorkshire SHA 345 151 496 
			 Surrey and Sussex SHA 525 472 997 
			 Thames Valley SHA 453 304 757 
			 Trent SHA 669 525 1,194 
			 West Midlands South SHA 285 121 406 
			 West Yorkshire SHA 580 319 899 
			 Total 14,828 8014 22,842 
			  Source: NDTMS 
		
	
	 Data for 2004-05
	 England total
	Total over 18s receiving treatment of cannabis was 11,057
	
		
			  Data by SHA  18 and over 18s 
			 Avon Gloucestershire and Wiltshire SHA 449 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire SHA 535 
			 Birmingham and The Black Country SHA 357 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside SHA 356 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA 215 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire SHA 201 
			 Dorset and Somerset SHA 320 
			 Essex SHA 630 
			 Greater Manchester SHA 611 
			 Hampshire and Isle Of Wight SHA 473 
			 Kent and Medway SHA 473 
			 Leicestershire Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA 150 
			 Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridgeshire SHA 513 
			 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire SHA 417 
			 North Central London SHA 397 
			 North East London SHA 422 
			 North West London SHA 649 
			 Northumberland Tyne and Wear SHA 452 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire SHA 155 
			 South East London SHA 350 
			 South West London SHA 565 
			 South West Peninsula SHA 227 
			 South Yorkshire SHA 208 
			 Surrey and Sussex SHA 429 
			 Thames Valley SHA 302 
			 Trent SHA 550 
			 West Midlands South SHA 256 
			 West Yorkshire SHA 395 
			 Total 11,057 
			  Source: NDTMS

Carers UK: Finance

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department will provide to Carers UK in 2007-08.

Ivan Lewis: In 2007-08, Carers UK received core funding of £125,000 from the Department under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968. This is the second year of three year grant funding.
	In addition, Carers UK received an additional £200,000 as one off grant funding to help build their capacity and enable them to respond to National Carers Strategy. In particular, the grant was awarded to allow them to engage with carers throughout the United Kingdom and ensure that their voice was heard in the process of developing the strategy.

Childbirth

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of the quality of the childbirth experience on  (a) the incidence of intervention during labour,  (b) the quality of the bond between parents and baby,  (c) the success and duration of breast-feeding and  (d) the incidence of post-natal depression; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: No such formal assessments have been made.
	However, the Healthcare Commission published a report on 27 November of their survey of women's experiences of maternity care in England. The survey found that 89 per cent. of women rated the overall care received during labour and birth as 'excellent', 'very good' or 'good'.
	All our policies are developed with the help and support of stakeholders and therefore clinical and user opinion is taken into account.

Chiropody: Waiting Lists

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the maximum waiting time target is for NHS chiropody services; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Chiropody treatment is included in the 18-week maximum waiting time target if a consultant-led service decides that chiropody is the best treatment to manage the patient's disease, condition or injury and avoid further interventions.
	Detailed rules and definitions for the 18-week target are available at www.18weeks.nhs.uk
	Other access to chiropody services is a matter for primary care trusts based on the assessed needs of their local population. Guidance is included in the national service frameworks for older people, diabetes, and long-term conditions, and the White Paper "Our health, our care, our say: a new direction for community services".

Chlamydia Infection

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many diagnoses of sexually transmitted Chlamydia infection there were in England in each year since 1997, broken down by  (a) age,  (b) strategic health authority area and  (c) sex; and how many diagnoses were in (i) genito-urinary medicine clinics, (ii) other outpatient settings, (iii) inpatient settings and (iv) other healthcare settings in each year.

Dawn Primarolo: Currently data are only collected nationally on Chlamydia diagnoses in genito-urinary clinics (GUM) and in the National Chlamydia Screening Programme.
	Information on the diagnoses of Chlamydia in GUM clinics by strategic health authority (SHA) level by age band and sex in each year since 1997 has been placed in the Library.
	The total number of people who have been diagnosed with Chlamydia within the National Chlamydia Screening Programme by SHA since 2003-04 when the programme was launched, has been placed in the Library.

Chlamydia Infection: Screening

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 17 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 1163-64W, on Chlamydia infection: screening, what proportion of 16 to 24 year olds screened for Chlamydia tested positive.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Clinical Trials

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received from  (a) the NHS,  (b) manufacturers of pharmaceuticals and  (c) other interested parties on the suitability of the regulatory system in the UK for conducting Phase III clinical trials; what the content of those representations was; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: No specific representations have been received from any stakeholders regarding the suitability of the regulatory system in the United Kingdom for the conduct of phase III clinical trials. However, a wide range of stakeholder views were gathered at the October conference on the operation of the Clinical Trial Directive 2001/20/EEC, arranged by the European Medicines Agency on behalf of the European Commission. An action plan is being developed and will be subject to public consultation in due course

Doctors: Housing

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2007,  Official Report, column 714W, on doctors: housing, whether he plans to issue new guidance on accommodation for doctors not covered by existing contractual provisions.

Ann Keen: We have no plans to issue new guidance because all doctors are covered by existing contractual arrangements.

Doctors: Housing

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 29 November 2007,  Official Report, column 714W, on doctors: housing, whether  (a) current Foundation Year 1 doctors,  (b) Foundation Year 1 doctors for the year 2007-08 and  (c) Foundation Year 1 doctors for the year 2008-09 will be covered by (i) existing contractual provisions and (ii) the guidance within the terms and conditions for employment for junior doctors on the application of charges for accommodation provided through hospital channels.

Ann Keen: Junior doctors are no longer statutorily required to be permanently resident for the better performance of their duties. Their terms and conditions for employment have remained the same. With regards to the contractual provisions this is a matter between the junior doctor and their employer.

Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meeting, what assessment he has made of the effect the establishment of an EU-wide organ donation policy will have on regulation in the UK organ donation sector; what effect an EU-wide organ donation policy will have on  (a) numbers and  (b) types of organs, (i) entering and (ii) leaving the UK; and what steps he is taking to ensure the best outcomes for the UK from an EU-wide organ donation policy.

Ann Keen: No specific assessment has yet been made in the United Kingdom of the European Union Commission communication on organ donation and transplantation published in May 2007, to increase the number of high quality and safe organs available for transplantation. The ongoing House of Lords EU Sub-Committee G Inquiry will help inform this. In the meantime we continue to work with other member states to examine the need for an EU framework on quality and safety and how we can best work across the European Union to share good practice. We need to ensure that any additional requirements would add value but not significant cost to enable appropriate investment in initiatives to enable the greater identification and procurement of donor organs.

EU Law

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in which of his Department's areas of responsibility there is  (a) an EU competence and  (b) a shared competence between the EU and member states; which Ministers take responsibility for those areas; and what meetings those Ministers have had with (i) European Union officials, (ii) Ministers from other EU member states and (iii) European Commissioners to discuss those issues in the last 12 months.

Dawn Primarolo: I am responsible for departmental activities in relation to the European Union (EU). Prior to July 2007, these responsibilities were held by the Minister of State for Health Services (Rosie Winterton). The EU has competence under Article 152 of the EC treaty in relation to public health, although its powers in this area are expressly limited. Other treaty articles, such as the free movement provisions, which apply to medical goods, e.g. pharmaceuticals, professionals and services, and provisions on health and safety, also apply in the Department's areas of responsibility. In the past 12 months, Ministers have met on a number of occasions with European Commission officials, European Commissioners and Health Ministers from other EU member states to discuss EU health issues.

Exercise: Elderly

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with his Ministerial colleagues on the promotion of physical activity to older people; and whether his Department is taking the lead on promotion of physical activity to older people.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has an important role in promoting the benefits of physical activity for all as set out in the Chief Medical Officers report "At least five a week: Evidence on the impact of physical activity and its relationship to health". We have worked closely with other Departments, including the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the Department for Children, Families and Schools and the Department for Transport to deliver the existing strategy for physical activity set out in "Choosing Activity: a physical activity action plan".
	The Local Exercise Action Pilots, which took place across the English regions between 2003 and 2005, demonstrated that community-based interventions can be effective in promoting physical activity in older people. More recently, the Hull Swim for Health and three of the Everyday Swim pilots are evaluating the promotion of swimming when targeted towards older age groups.
	We have also made £60 million ring-fenced funding (£20 million in 2006-07 and £40 million in 2007-08) available to approximately 30 council-led partnerships across the country as part of Partnerships for Older People Projects to evaluate innovative approaches to help older people to live healthy, independent and fulfilling lives for as long as possible.
	HM Treasury has asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to develop a new strategy for Sport England. Ministers have also agreed to work closely over the next few months to ensure that all relevant Departments are working together to deliver a physical activity strategy for all. Any changes in responsibilities for policy on physical activity, including the promotion of physical activity to older people, would emerge from this work.

Foetal Tissue: Research

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals for legislation to require individuals applying for a licence to undertake embryonic stem cell research to demonstrate that no alternatives exist; what recent representations he has received on the issue; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 provides that the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) may only license embryo research where the use of embryos is necessary for the purpose of that project of research.
	In making this assessment, the HFEA takes account of the scope for the research to be undertaken by other means, including by way of stem cells derived from somatic (adult) cells or umbilical cords. The HFEA also refers embryo research applications for peer review, which considers if there are feasible alternatives to the use of embryos.

Genetic Counsellors

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist genetic counsellors there were in each primary care trust in each of the last three years.

Ann Keen: Genetic counsellors are not identified as a separate professional grouping in the Department's work force data and so we do not have information on the number of genetic counsellors in primary care trusts. The majority of genetic counsellors work within regional genetic services which are based in tertiary centres.
	The Department is funding an additional 50 trainee genetic counsellor posts through the genetics White Paper "Our Inheritance, Our Future: realising the potential of genetics in the NHS" (June 2003).

Genito-Urinary Medicine

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of attenders at genito-urinary medicine clinics was recorded as not having been given an appointment within two weeks in each audit of genito-urinary medicine clinic waiting times undertaken by the Health Protection Agency since May 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: The genito-urinary clinic (GUM) waiting times audit collected data on waiting times for all GUM clinics in England for a period of one week every quarter. It ran from May 2004 to August 2007. All patients attending a GUM clinic with a new episode or registering for the first time were asked to complete the short questionnaire on waiting times. Data are presented on the proportion of attendees recorded as not having been offered an appointment within two weeks of each audit since May 2004.
	Data on waiting times are now collected for all attendances of clinics through the Genito-urinary Medicine Access Monthly Monitoring (GUMAMM) data set. According to the equivalent data for October 2007 there were 4,470 attendees not offered an appointment within two weeks of contacting a clinic, 117,744 first attendances and 3.8 per cent. of attendees not offered an appointment within two weeks of contacting a clinic.
	
		
			  Number and proportion of attendees recorded as not having been given an appointment within two weeks of contacting the GUM clinic: results from one-week quarterly waiting times audit of GUM clinics in England 
			  Date of one-week audit  Number of attendees not offered an appointment within two weeks of contacting clinic  Number of attendees  Percentage of attendees not offered an appointment within two weeks of contacting clinic 
			  2004
			 May 3,916 13,683 29 
			 November 3,565 13,892 26 
			  2005
			 May 4,137 16,441 25 
			 August 3,204 15,038 21 
			 November 3,152 15,162 21 
			  2006
			 February 2,648 15,302 17 
			 May 2,561 16,628 15 
			 August 2,163 16,553 13 
			 November 1,760 17,490 10 
			  2007
			 February 1,523 18,691 8 
			 May 1,280 18,986 7 
			 August 1,127 19,779 6

Haemophilus Influenzae

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the UK is affected by the decision by Merck to recall doses of haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) vaccine.

Dawn Primarolo: No. The recall of haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine produced by Merck does not affect the United Kingdom because the product recalled is not used in our UK national immunisation programme.

Health Education

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for the statement in paragraph 3.52 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy that adopting a health-related social marketing campaign is  (a) improving people's health and  (b) reducing inequalities.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department commissioned a review—"It's our health!"—of social marketing and its potential application in the health arena.
	The review was undertaken jointly by the National Consumer Council and the National Social Marketing Centre and reported in June 2006.
	The review found examples of initiatives whose impact was enhanced by the systematic application of social marketing core concepts and techniques. Social marketing also helped to achieve behavioural goals and directly supported service development and reduced health inequalities.
	An example used was:
	Food Dudes (Bangor Food Research Unit at the School of Psychology, University of Wales Bangor, 1992 to present).
	The initiative was to promote healthy eating in children.
	The initiative greatly increased and sustained the quantity and range of fruit and vegetables consumed by children, especially those who ate least at the outset. Two projects found:
	Children in a school in Brixton more than doubled their lunchtime consumption of fruit; and
	Children in a school in Salford tripled their lunchtime consumption of vegetables.

Health Services: EU Law

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in negotiations on the proposed EU Directive on Cross-Border Health Care; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The proposals from the European Commission regarding the provision of cross-border health services, which are expected to codify existing case law from the European Court of Justice, have not yet been published. The proposals will be subject to scrutiny by the House of Lords European Union Select Committee and the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee. In future discussions on the proposal, the Government will work to protect the United Kingdom's interests.

Health Services: Infectious Diseases

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence was taken into account in making the decision to implement leucodepletion in 1999 to prevent the risk of contracting vCJD through blood transfusions; and whether additional evidence will be required to inform decisions on implementing prion filtration.

Dawn Primarolo: Expert advice at the time suggested that prion infectivity could be associated with the white cells (leucocytes) in the blood. It was therefore considered prudent to minimise any risk by removing the majority of these cells (without detriment to the transfusion). Although introduced primarily as one way of reducing any risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease transmission, leucodepletion has a number of other benefits. For example, there is evidence that it reduces some of the risks of adverse reaction to transfusion.
	In respect of prion filtration, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 14 June 2007,  Official Report, column 1298W, to the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Hollobone).

Health: Migration

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect on health inequalities of  (a) migration and  (b) poverty.

Dawn Primarolo: The impact of immigration on health is more directly reflected in the health status and the underpinning determinants of health of specific ethnic minority groups, than of immigration. In general, we know there is a strong link between ethnicity, deprivation and poor health, but it is also important to recognise that there is considerable diversity between different ethnic groups. No specific studies have been recently commissioned by the Department of the general impact of internal migration.
	The impact of poverty including relative income, child poverty and fuel poverty on health status and so on health inequalities has long been recognised. Sir Donald Acheson's 'Inquiry into Inequalities in Health', which was commissioned by the Government, highlighted issues surrounding poverty and income, education, employment and environment. This approach reflected the scientific evidence that emphasised the interrelated nature of the causes of these inequalities. The Government's strategy 'Tackling Health Inequalities: A Programme for Action', set out the Government's response to these issues, including poverty.

Healthy Start Vouchers

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of those eligible have taken up Healthy Start vouchers in  (a) the Leyton and Wanstead constituency,  (b) Redbridge,  (c) Waltham Forest,  (d) London and  (e) England.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of women and children eligible for Healthy Start at any given point in time varies. However, we estimate that take-up of the scheme in England is currently approximately 87 per cent. This is equivalent to around 342,000 beneficiary households.
	Information on take-up at local level is not yet available, but we are planning to extract information from the Healthy Start database at strategic health authority or primary care trust level later in 2008. This will enable us to provide feedback to the national health service on the impact of Healthy Start at local level to support local delivery of public health policies.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of catheter-related bloodstream infections occurred in the NHS in each of the past five years, broken down by strategic health authority area.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not collect data on catheter-related bloodstream infections centrally.

Human Embryo Experiments

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what files are held by his Department on the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill of Session 1989-90.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department holds approximately 30 file titles concerning the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill 1990.

Human Papilloma Virus: Vaccination

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the human papilloma virus  (a) vaccination and  (b) screening programme; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccines have been shown to be extremely effective in protecting women against the HPV strains that cause 70 per cent. of cervical cancers. The vaccine needs to be given before girls become exposed to the virus in order to provide protection.
	The National Health Service Cervical Screening Programme is likely to continue for many years after the introduction of the HPV vaccine. This is because the vaccines only offer protection against 70 per cent. of cancer-causing HPV types, and it will be 13 years before the first 12-year-olds vaccinated will be eligible for cervical screening. Screening will also still need to be offered to women up to the age of 64 who will not have been vaccinated.
	As part of the Liquid Based Cytology (LBC) pilot, which evaluated the use of the LBC technique in cervical screening, HPV testing as triage for women with mild or borderline test results was also piloted.
	Following receipt of the positive independent evaluation of the HPV arm of the pilot, the Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening set up a dedicated working group to advise on how best to introduce HPV testing into the cervical screening programme.
	As a result of this, a number of sentinel sites began triaging women with mild and borderline screening results in late 2007. Results from these sites will be known by 2009, at which point further roll-out can be considered.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many embryos from in vitro fertilisation programmes have been  (a) donated to and  (b) created for scientific research in each year since 1999.

Dawn Primarolo: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has informed me that its register indicates that only two embryos have been created specifically for research purposes and this occurred in 2001.
	Virtually all the embryos used in research have been donated by patients who no longer wished to use them in their own treatment. The number of embryos donated for research purposes each year since 1999 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Embryos donated for research purposes since 1999 
			   Number of embryos donated for research 
			 1999 5087 
			 2000 5302 
			 2001 4190 
			 2002 4527 
			 2003 3737 
			 2004 3649 
			 2005 4456 
			 2006 3244 
			  Source: A long-term analysis of the HFEA register data 1991-2006, HFEA June 2007

Industrial Diseases

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many specialist consultants in the NHS there are who treat patients with  (a) chronic bronchitis and  (b) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Ann Keen: The number of specialist consultants in the national health service who treat patients with chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is not collated. However, such information is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Hospital and community health services: medical staff within the cardiology and respiratory medicine specialties ,  England at 30 September 2006 
			  Number, headcount 
			   All staff  Of which :  consultant 
			 All specialties 93,320 32,874 
			  Of which:   
			 Cardiology 2,056 752 
			 Cardiothoracic surgery 717 240 
			 Respiratory medicine 1,451 583 
			  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care Medical and Dental Workforce Census.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he has identified triggers at which point the use of antivirals in the event of an influenza pandemic becomes so great that the introduction of clinical prioritisation will be necessary;
	(2)  whether the Government intend to consult on proposals for the clinical prioritisation of antivirals in the event of the stockpile of antivirals becoming depleted, as stated on page 38 of his Department's National Framework for responding to an influenza pandemic.

Dawn Primarolo: The current antiviral stockpile should be sufficient to treat all who fall ill in a pandemic of similar proportions to previous ones in the 20th century but we recognise that prioritisation may need to be triggered if the clinical attack rate is higher than anticipated and/or antivirals are in greater demand than anticipated.
	There is less likelihood of the need for prioritisation of antivirals as the stockpile is increased to reflect the potential for a higher clinical attack rate.
	The Government have already consulted on the ethical principles underlying issues such as prioritisation, but their implications will need to be reviewed and updated in the light of emerging scientific and other information at the time of a pandemic. Further testing of the public's reactions to many issues in pandemic planning and decision-making will start with an engagement programme to facilitate this process, with the active participation of the public, beginning in the new year.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what means he has established to allow for the  (a) assessment of the clinical attack rate of the first wave of a pandemic,  (b) monitoring of the pandemic virus for genetic mutations which may affect the degree of protection and  (c) monitoring of the pandemic virus for antiviral susceptibility, in between waves of a pandemic, as recommended on page 71 of his Department's National Framework for responding to an influenza pandemic, published on 22 November; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: For all three surveillance elements mentioned, international information exchange, led by the World Health Organisation (WHO), will play an important role. The United Kingdom is actively engaged in international surveillance work and planning via both the WHO and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
	It is envisaged that some information allowing estimation of the possible UK clinical attack rate of the first wave of a pandemic will be obtained via the WHO from the country of origin of the pandemic. Once it is in the UK, it is planned that more detailed data on the first few hundred UK cases will be obtained via the pandemic influenza management system that is currently being developed. It is an extension of the Health Protection Agency's avian influenza database. This will allow more accurate estimates of the UK clinical attack rate. Analysis of calls to the Flu Line, combined with real time modelling, will continuously improve the accuracy of the estimate of the clinical attack rate as the pandemic progresses. Adaptation of existing surveillance systems and development of new systems is under consideration to further improve upon the clinical impact data available in the course of a pandemic.
	Genetic analyses of the pandemic virus will be performed by the National Respiratory Virus Reference Unit in Colindale, which includes the WHO National Influenza laboratory. Analyses will be performed throughout the pandemic. The sampling schedule will change in the course of the pandemic. International information exchange, led by the WHO, will also provide valuable genetic monitoring information in the global course of the pandemic.
	The UK is an active participant in the Neuraminidase Inhibitor Susceptibility Network which monitors susceptibility of neuraminidase inhibitors to influenza viruses found in the community. Influenza neuraminidase inhibitor antiviral susceptibility testing in the UK is provided at the National Influenza Centre in Colindale. Surveillance systems currently under consideration for use during a pandemic, are also being evaluated as to their potential to provide data on the proportion of antiviral treatment failures, both to inform on the potential development of a resistant virus and to improve on treatment regimes.

Influenza

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what stockpiles of medicines have been available in each of the last three years for use in an influenza epidemic;
	(2)  when he intends to place orders for additional  (a) antivirals and  (b) antibiotics; and when he expects to have procured the intended numbers of each;
	(3)  for what reasons the Government plan to stockpile 14.7 million treatment courses of antibiotics;
	(4)  what role he proposes for NHS walk-in centres in the event of an influenza pandemic;
	(5)  which  (a) organisation and  (b) individuals his Department is consulting to (i) develop a suitable algorithm and (ii) produce model protocols/guidelines to allow the supply of oseltamivir during an influenza pandemic, as stated on page 102 of his Department's National Framework for responding to an influenza pandemic; when he intends the (A) algorithm and (B) model protocols/guidelines to have been finalised; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  whether he intends the National Flu Line service, as described in his Department's National Framework for responding to an influenza pandemic, to be delivered through NHS Direct.

Dawn Primarolo: Antivirals are a key part of the Government response to an influenza pandemic, as stated in the National framework for responding to an influenza pandemic. We have stockpiled 14.6 million doses of Tamiflu, sufficient to treat 25 per cent, of the United Kingdom population. Owing to the logistical issues involved in building up such a large stockpile, supplies were delivered over a period between August 2005 and September 2006.
	We plan to increase our stockpile of antivirals and antibiotics, but a precise timeline can not be given. This is because the procurement of the additional countermeasures will be subject to normal commercial procurement procedures to ensure that we purchase these products at the best price and achieve value for money.
	The Government are increasing their stock of antibiotics to treat the complications arising from an influenza pandemic. It will enable us to provide antibiotics for vulnerable symptomatic flu patients before secondary complications develop.
	NHS Direct has been asked to lead on the development of the National Flu Line Service. The project team is working towards the delivery of the initial phase of the system by towards the end of 2008.
	During a pandemic, national health service walk-in centres will be critical in continuing to provide fast access to health advice and treatment. They will continue to work alongside existing services in providing access to health advice, information and treatment of minor illnesses. Symptomatic patients will be encouraged to remain at home to limit spread of the influenza virus, and to contact the National Flu Line service as a first port of call.
	The national clinical algorithm that will be used in the Flu Line Service to assess patients and determine their eligibility to antiviral treatment during a pandemic has been developed with the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders. These include expert clinicians and professionals from across the UK, representatives of specific health and social care services including the ambulance service, and representatives from the appropriate royal colleges. The algorithm is in the final stages of development and will be published shortly.
	The protocol and guidelines that will allow the issuing of antiviral medicines have also been developed with input from a wide range of professionals, and are currently subject to public consultation as described in the 'Possible amendments to medicines and associated legislation during an influenza pandemic' consultation document. The protocol and guidelines will be finalised after the consultation period ends on 22 February 2008.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the statement of 22 November 2006,  Official Report, column 1350, on pandemic influenza, for what reasons the stockpiles of  (a) antibiotics,  (b) pre-pandemic vaccines and  (c) antivirals announced in his statement differ to the sizes of stockpiles recommended by his Department's Pandemic Influenza Scientific Advisory Group in its subgroup on modelling: modelling summary published in November 2007.

Dawn Primarolo: The Scientific Advisory Group modelling sub-group summary does not recommend any specific stockpile levels. It summarises the outcomes of calculated simulations of several different situations taking a variety of counter-measures options, clinical attack rates and case fatality rates as scenarios.
	The scenarios discussed in the modelling summary paper include stockpiles of antibiotics of 0.4 per cent. and 14 per cent., pre-pandemic vaccines of 2 per cent., 40 per cent. and 100 per cent., and antivirals of 25 per cent., 75 per cent. and 100 per cent. population coverage. The outcomes of simulations of these scenarios are taken into account, as well as a variety of important but non-scientific considerations, when deciding on the stockpile levels to be purchased.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for his statement that pandemic influenza plans are in place in most key sectors, as stated in paragraph 4.11.2 of his Department's National Framework for responding to an influenza pandemic.

Dawn Primarolo: All Government Departments are directly or indirectly involved in preparing for an influenza pandemic and play an active role in informing and supporting contingency planning in their areas of responsibility, including public and private sector organisations. Departments work closely with these sectors to promote business continuity management and facilitate robust and resilient planning to deal with a wide range of emergencies, including an influenza pandemic. To facilitate sectoral planning central Government Departments have issued guidance specific to pandemic planning, and regularly meet stakeholders to update them on the emerging situation and to provide advice.
	The evidence that supports the statement that pandemic influenza plans are in place in most key sectors, as stated in paragraph 4.11.2, includes the following:
	The National Capabilities Survey (NCS). The confidential survey goes out to organisations providing essential services; as well as local emergency responders, regional government offices and central Government Departments. This includes the private sector. The results of the last NCS survey in 2006, showed that, in the main, the essential services had well established business continuity plans, which were designed to prepare for, respond to, and recover from, a whole range of risks including an influenza pandemic. The NCS 2008 will give us a more detailed picture, by evaluating recent progress and exploring these issues in greater depth;
	Exercise Winter Willow—Over 5,000 people from government, industry and the voluntary sector participated in Exercise Winter Willow, with a common aim to review and validate our preparations and plans for the major challenges that an influenza pandemic would bring. This was supported by a number of sector specific exercises; and
	Stakeholder engagement—The Cabinet Office and other Government Departments meet regularly with representatives from public and private sector bodies (through the business forum and other ad hoc meetings) to review the development of plans and to disseminate good practice.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for his statement on page 32 of his Department's National Framework for responding to an influenza pandemic, that fuel supplies are expected to be maintained in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) continues to work closely with all its stakeholders in the fuel, energy, telecommunications and postal services sectors to ensure that they recognise the impact a pandemic would have on the United Kingdom and factor this into their business continuity plans so that any disruption to consumers is minimised.
	We have continued to keep them up to date with Government policy and planning as set out in the National Framework. Should it become necessary, DBERR and industry, in consultation with other stakeholders, would introduce a range of measures to ensure that essential supplies and services will be maintained. Planning by fuel suppliers is aimed at maintaining near-normal levels.
	The results from the last National Capabilities Survey (NCS—a confidential survey which goes out to organisations providing essential services, including the private sector, as well as local emergency responders, regional Government offices and central Government Departments) in 2006, also showed that, in the main, the essential services had well-established business continuity plans, which were designed to prepare for, respond to, and recover from a whole range of risks including an influenza pandemic.
	The NCS 2008 will give us a more detailed picture, by evaluating recent progress and exploring these issues in greater depth.
	Critical national infrastructure industries also took part in the winter willow exercise in 2007.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for the statement that a high efficacy vaccine given to 75 per cent. of the population will eliminate further pandemic waves, as stated in paragraph 7.41 of the Cabinet Office's document "Overarching Government strategy to respond to pandemic influenza: analysis of the scientific evidence base."

Dawn Primarolo: The statement follows from epidemiological theory for a disease in which one infected person generally infects fewer than two or so others. This is understood to be likely for a future pandemic influenza based on previous pandemics and seasonal influenza, although the exact properties of such a virus cannot be known in advance.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans the Government have to procure a central stockpile of  (a) aprons and  (b) gloves for use by health and social care staff in the event of an influenza pandemic.

Dawn Primarolo: Used correctly, disposable gloves and aprons will increase protection and support good hygiene practice in primary and secondary health care. The quantities and type of products needed and the options for procuring them are currently under consideration.

Influenza Vaccines: Finance

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the cost to the public purse has been of the provision of influenza vaccines in 2007-08;
	(2)  what representations he has received from the voluntary sector on the possible use of influenza vaccines returned by GPs or hospitals;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of unused influenza vaccines that will be returned by GPs in the next 12 months;
	(4)  how many unused influenza vaccines were returned by  (a) hospitals,  (b) GPs and  (c) other establishments in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: We estimate that the influenza vaccination programme costs about £150 million.
	The Government do not purchase flu vaccine on behalf of individual general practitioners (GPs) or hospitals. GPs order their own supplies of flu vaccine from the supplier(s) of their choice based on the number of eligible patients on their register.
	No representations have been received from the voluntary sector on the possible use of influenza vaccines returned by GPs or hospitals.
	Information of the numbers of vaccines returned to manufacturers is commercially confidential.
	Information on the number of unused influenza vaccines returned by hospitals, GPs and other establishments in each of the last three years is not held centrally.

Influenza: Disease Control

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the purchase of disposable respirators and face masks for a possible flu pandemic will be sourced in the UK.

Dawn Primarolo: The purchase of disposable face masks and respirators will be done in accordance with European Union procurement legislation and will also take full account of the ability of manufacturers to supply the numbers of products needed, wherever they are located.

Influenza: Vaccination

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been commissioned by his Department since 1997 on the effectiveness of the seasonal influenza immunisation programme; and if he will place copies of this research in the Library.

Dawn Primarolo: Two research projects(1) have been commissioned by the Department to study the effectiveness of the influenza immunisation programme for health care workers. The first studied the effectiveness of vaccinating care staff in preventing illness among residents of care homes. The second study looked at how well the health care worker vaccination policy was being implemented and the attitudes of health care workers to flu vaccination. The papers have been published in the scientific literature, and a copy has been placed in the Library.
	(1)( )Hayward A.C., Harling R., Wetten S., Johnson A.M., Munro S., Smedley J., Murad S., Watson J.M.
	'Effectiveness of an influenza vaccine programme for care home staff to prevent death, morbidity, and health service use among residents: cluster randomised controlled trial'.
	BMJ. 2006 Dec 16;333(7581):1241. Epub 2006 Dec 1.
	www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17142257&ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_Results Panel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
	Smedley J., Poole J., Waclawski E., Stevens A., Harrison J., Watson J., Hayward A., Coggon D.
	'Influenza immunisation: attitudes and beliefs of UK healthcare workers'.
	Occup Environ Med. 2007 Apr;64(4):223-7. Epub 2006 Dec 20
	www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17182640&ordinalpos=l&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_Results Panel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Information Centre for Health and Social Care

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what dates since January 2007 the Information Centre for Health and Social Care has had discussions with the Prescription Pricing Division of the NHS Business Services Authority; and what the content was of such discussions.

Dawn Primarolo: This is a matter for the chief executive of the Information Centre for Health and Social Care.

Lyme Disease

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people likely to have undiagnosed active Lyme disease; and what steps his Department will take to  (a) identify these people and  (b) raise awareness of Lyme disease and its symptoms among GPs.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of people with undiagnosed active Lyme disease has not been estimated in the United Kingdom.
	The Department is not proposing to take steps to identify people with undiagnosed active Lyme disease. Those in whom infection is asymptomatic or has caused only mild or self-limiting symptoms and who do not consult a general practitioner (GP) are not identifiable. Those with active disease whose symptoms require them to seek a GP consultation will be diagnosed.
	The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has published guidance for GPs and other clinicians on the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme Disease on its website and has also run various campaigns to promote awareness of Lyme disease among clinicians and the public.
	The HPA's Lyme Disease Reference Laboratory provides an expert and freely available diagnostic service to GPs and other clinicians and has nationwide links to experts in infectious diseases, neurology, rheumatology and other specialties that have a particular interest in Lyme disease.

Lyme Disease

Hugo Swire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of blood tests as a tool for diagnosis of late-stage Lyme disease; and what other tools for diagnosis he is considering.

Dawn Primarolo: Blood testing to confirm late stage Lyme disease is undertaken for the national health service by the Health Protection Agency's (HPA) Lyme disease Reference Laboratory. This laboratory is fully accredited and the tests conform to the internationally agreed testing criteria for "Borrelia burgdorferi", the causative agent of Lyme disease, based upon stringent interpretation of serological test results. The testing is a two stage process: testing for the presence of antibodies to "B. burgdorferi" followed by specific immunoblot (Western blot) tests on all specimens that react in preliminary tests. The significance of the results are then carefully assessed in the light of the patient's clinical signs and exposure history to ticks. This two stage testing procedure is carried out by world-renowned experts at the HPA's Lyme disease reference unit and supports the clinical assessment to provide the most accurate diagnosis. These tests are freely available to clinicians in the NHS. A small group led by the Inspector of Microbiology reviewed the testing methodology in 2006 and we are satisfied that the tests available to the NHS are adequate for the diagnosis of late-stage Lyme disease.
	Molecular diagnostic tests have been developed for detection of "B. burgdorferi" and can be a useful in particular circumstances such as a diagnostic test on joint fluids in patients with suspected chronic Lyme arthritis. Such tests are not yet considered useful as a routine diagnostic tool. Direct detection by culture of "B. burgdorferi" is not useful for the diagnosis of late-stage Lyme disease.
	The Chief Medical Officer's Inspector of Microbiology undertook a thorough investigation in 2006 of unorthodox and unvalidated blood tests offered by some non-NHS practitioners to make a diagnosis of Lyme disease in patients with medically unexplained symptoms similar to those of late stage Lyme disease. He found such unvalidated tests wholly unsuitable for the diagnosis of late-stage Lyme disease. His report is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4138917.pdf

Medicine: Overseas Students

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether medical students from non-European Economic Area countries undertaking postgraduate training will be able to complete their entire training in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Medical students from non-European Economic Area countries undertaking post graduate training will be able to complete their training subject to satisfactory progress and meeting all competition and eligibility requirements.

Mental Health and Employment

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1318W, on mental health and employment: meeting the challenge, what the average cost is of treating an individual for depression and anxiety disorders.

Ivan Lewis: Depression and anxiety disorders are treated in two main ways: by medication and through evidence-based psychological therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT). No estimate has been made of the average cost per head of anti-depressants or other medication.
	The London School of Economies' Centre for Economic Performance calculates that the average cost per head to deliver a course of CBT for depression or an anxiety disorder is £750. Additionally, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has calculated that the average cost of delivering a course of CBT to patients with post-traumatic stress disorder at 12 weeks after the traumatic event (the most cost-effective option) is £825.
	The cost calculation for delivering CBT and other evidence-based psychological therapies used in implementing the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme is lower than the above figures because the IAPT model of care includes a wider range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches and delivery methods.

Mental Health Services: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the rate of occupancy of psychiatric beds was in each London mental health trust in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many psychiatric beds there were in each London mental health trust in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested can be found in the following tables.
	Not everybody who needs care for a mental health related problem needs a psychiatric bed—even in an emergency. We have developed a range of alternatives to in-patient acute beds. These include new models of practice, robust care pathways and supported accommodation or respite care in ordinary settings.
	In-patient psychiatric activity has fallen over time as we have established more than 700 new mental health teams providing community based care as an alternative to acute in-patient care.
	
		
			  Average daily available beds, occupied beds and occupancy rate (occupied/available x 100 per cent.) for mental illness, learning disabilities, and total (mental illness + learning disabilities), in London area between 2002-03 and 2006-07 
			  2002-03 
			Mental illness  Learning disabilities  Total (Mental and Learning) 
			  Org code  Organisation name  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%)  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%)  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%) 
			 RRP Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 701 670 95.5 — — — 701 670 95.5 
			 5K5 Brent PCT — — — 20 11 55.6 20 11 55.6 
			 TAP Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust 451 388 86.0 — — — 451 388 86.0 
			 RV3 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 847 718 84.8 — — — 847 718 84.8 
			 5C7 Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT — — — 13 10 77.2 13 10 77.2 
			 RWK East London and The City Mental Health NHS Trust 637 593 93.1 — — — 637 593 93.1 
			 5C1 Enfield PCT — — — 18 18 100.0 18 18 100.0 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 7 6 79.1 — — — 7 6 79.1 
			 5C9 Haringey Teaching PCT — — — 10 9 87.8 10 9 87.8 
			 SAT Hillingdon PCT — — — — — — — — — 
			 5K8 Islington PCT 7 7 95.3 — — — 7 7 95.3 
			 RAT North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 649 593 91.4 74 69 93.2 723 662 91.6 
			 RPG Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 483 471 97.5 — — — 483 471 97.5 
			 RV5 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 902 885 98.1 23 23 98.0 925 908 98.1 
			 RQY South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 846 716 84.6 — — — 846 716 84.6 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT — — 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust 123 116 94.6 — — — 123 116 94.6 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 14 7 51.7 — — — 14 7 51.7 
			 RKL West London Mental Health NHS Trust 654 623 95.2 — — — 654 623 95.2 
			 5LC Westminster PCT — — 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0 
			
			  London total 6,321 5,792 91.6 158 139 88.3 6,479 5,931 91.6 
		
	
	
		
			  2003-04 
			Mental illness  Learning disabilities  Total (Mental and Learning) 
			  Org code  Organisation name  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%)  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%)  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%) 
			 RRP Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 751 677 90.2 — — — 751 677 90.2 
			 5K5 Brent PCT 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
			 TAP Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust 424 385 90.9 — — — 424 385 90.9 
			 RV3 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 747 642 85.9 — — — 747 642 85.9 
			 5C7 Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
			 RWK East London and The City Mental Health NHS Trust 628 586 93.3 — — — 628 586 93.3 
			 5C1 Enfield PCT — — — 24 23 94.1 24 23 94.1 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 7 5 77.6 — — — 7 5 77.6 
			 5C9 Haringey Teaching PCT — — — 10 8 82.2 10 8 82.2 
			 SAT Hillingdon PCT 121 110 91.2 — — — 121 110 91.2 
			 5K8 Islington PCT 6 5 76.4 — — — 6 5 76.4 
			 RAT North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 635 574 90.3 57 56 97.9 692 630 91.0 
			 RPG Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 442 423 95.7 — — — 442 423 95.7 
			 RV5 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 1013 957 94.5 41 39 95.8 1054 996 94.5 
			 RQY South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 843 732 86.9 12 8 66.6 854 740 86.6 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT — — — 252 209 82.9 252 209 82.9 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust — — — — — — — — — 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 14 10 69.5 — — — 14 10 69.5 
			 RKL West London Mental Health NHS Trust 673 625 92.8 — — — 673 625 92.8 
			 5LC Westminster PCT — — — 8 7 84.4 8 7 84.4 
			
			  London total 6,304 5,731 90.9 404 349 86.5 6,708 6,080 90.6 
		
	
	
		
			  2004-05 
			Mental illness  Learning disabilities  Total (Mental and Learning) 
			  Org code  Organisation name  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%)  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%)  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%) 
			 RRP Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 787 755 95.9 — — — 787 755 95.9 
			 5K5 Brent PCT 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
			 TAP Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust 452 427 94.4 2 2 100.0 454 429 94.4 
			 RV3 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 720 613 85.2 — — — 720 613 85.2 
			 5C7 Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
			 RWK East London and The City Mental Health NHS Trust 635 597 94.0 — — — 635 597 94.0 
			 5C1 Enfield PCT — — — 22 15 70.3 22 15 70.3 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 7 6 88.1 — — — 7 6 88.1 
			 5C9 Haringey Teaching PCT — — — 10 8 81.2 10 8 81.2 
			 SAT Hillingdon PCT 118 114 95.9 — — — 118 114 95.9 
			 5K8 Islington PCT 4 3 85.1 — — — 4 3 85.1 
			 RAT North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 564 553 98.0 26 23 89.3 590 576 97.6 
			 RPG Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 439 435 99.0 — — — 439 435 99.0 
			 RV5 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 1021 962 94.2 41 39 93.7 1062 1000 94.2 
			 RQY South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 809 685 84.7 21 18 86.5 830 703 84.7 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT — — — 204 196 96.0 204 196 96.0 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust — — — — — — — — — 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 14 10 69.414 10 69.4 
			 RKL West London Mental Health NHS Trust 663 606 91.5 — — — 663 606 91.5 
			 5LC Westminster PCT — — — 3 3 100.0 3 3 100.0 
			
			  London total 6,233 5,766 92.5 328 304 92.5 6,562 6,069 92.5 
		
	
	
		
			  2005-06 
			Mental illness  Learning disabilities  Total (Mental and Learning) 
			  Org code  Organisation name  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%)  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%)  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%) 
			 RRP Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 773 693 89.7 — — — 773 693 89.7 
			 5K5 Brent PCT 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
			 TAP Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust 416 389 93.5 4 2 49.2 420 391 93.1 
			 RV3 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 708 595 84.0 — — — 708 595 84.0 
			 5C7 Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
			 RWK East London and The City Mental Health NHS Trust 654 606 92.6 — — — 654 606 92.6 
			 5C1 Enfield PCT — — — 19 18 92.6 19 18 92.6 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 7 7 95.7 — — — 7 7 95.7 
			 5C9 Haringey Teaching PCT — — — 10 10 100.0 10 10 100.0 
			 SAT Hillingdon PCT 105 99 94.5 — — — 105 99 94.5 
			 5K8 Islington PCT 7 6 82.5 — — — 7 6 82.5 
			 RAT North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 435 405 93.1 9 9 96.0 444 413 93.2 
			 RPG Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 442 436 98.8 — — — 442 436 98.8 
			 RV5 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 907 739 81.5 39 31 78.3 946 770 81.3 
			 RQY South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 694 561 80.9 21 13 61.7 715 574 80.3 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT — — — 187 186 99.7 187 186 99.7 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust — — — — — — — — — 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 14 10 69.4 — — — 14 10 69.4 
			 RKL West London Mental Health NHS Trust 614 557 90.7 — — — 614 557 90.7 
			 5LC Westminster PCT — — — 5 3 63.2 5 3 63.2 
			
			  London total 5,775 5,102 88.3 294 271 92.2 6,069 5,373 88.5 
		
	
	
		
			  2006-07 
			Mental illness  Learning disabilities  Total (Mental and Learning) 
			  Org code  Organisation name  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%)  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%)  Available beds  Occupied beds  Occupancy rate (%) 
			 RRP Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust 693 676 97.7 — — — 693 676 97.7 
			 5K5 Brent PCT 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
			 TAP Camden and Islington Mental Health and Social Care Trust 388 367 94.7 4 4 92.5 392 371 94.7 
			 RV3 Central and North West London Mental Health NHS Trust 783 674 86.0 — — — 783 674 86.0 
			 5C7 Chingford, Wanstead and Woodford PCT 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0 0.0 
			 RWK East London and The City Mental Health NHS Trust 676 631 93.3 — — — 676 631 93.3 
			 5C1 Enfield PCT — — — 20 20 100.0 20 20 100.0 
			 RP4 Great Ormond Street Hospital For Children NHS Trust 9 6 68.39 6 68.3 
			 5C9 Haringey Teaching PCT — — — 10 10 100.0 10 10 100.0 
			 SAT Hillingdon PCT — — — — — — — — — 
			 5K8 Islington PCT 10 8 79.6 — — — 10 8 79.6 
			 RAT North East London Mental Health NHS Trust 433 402 92.9 9 9 96.0 442 411 93.0 
			 RPG Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust 459 453 98.8 — — — 459 453 98.8 
			 RV5 South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust 908 843 92.8 22 16 73.5 930 859 92.3 
			 RQY South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust 751 649 86.5 16 12 72.7 767 661 86.2 
			 5M7 Sutton and Merton PCT 4 4 95.7 187 171 91.5 191 175 91.6 
			 RAS The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust — — — — — — — — — 
			 RRV University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 10 6 63.0 — — — 10 6 63.0 
			 RKL West London Mental Health NHS Trust 589 561 95.1 — — — 589 561 95.1 
			 5LC Westminster PCT — — — — — — — — — 
			
			  London total 5,713 5,281 92.4 268 241 90.0 5,981 5,522 92.3 
			  Notes: 1. '0' denotes that the PCT did not exist. 2. Percentages calculated on unrounded figures. 3. Data provided for each London organisation that provided either mental illness beds, learning disabilities beds, or both, between 2002-03 and 2006-07.  Source: Department of Health form KH03

National Child Health Immunisation Board

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the 15 October 2007 meeting of the National Child Health Immunisation Board.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 12 December 2007,  Official Report, column 634W.

National Identity Register

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to make use of data on the National Identity Register when it is established; and what the estimated annual cost to his Department of that use is.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department will be working with the Home Office prior to the introduction of the National Identity Scheme to establish how identity information held on the proposed National Identity Register might be used to provide access to public services. It is too early in the process to establish the detailed costs and benefits.

NHS: Finance

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1320W, on NHS: finance, 
	(1)  what the statutory minimum of public dividend capital is that a financially challenged trust is expected to repay annually; and what procedures are in place to report to Parliament the liability contingent upon a write-off of any part of the  (a) principal and  (b) interest on (i) public dividend capital and (ii) loans;
	(2)  what the statutory minimum repayment of cash support advanced to NHS trusts in the financially challenged trusts regime is; what his policy is on requiring such repayments; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 18 December 2007
	There is no statutory minimum payment for either public dividend capital dividends or capital. However, national health service trusts in receipt of public dividend capital are expected to make a dividend repayment currently set at 3.5 per cent. of the forecast average value of net relevant assets.
	NHS trusts in receipt of working loans are expected to meet repayments in line with the agreed repayment schedule.
	The period of the loan is agreed with each trust. NHS trusts make equal six monthly payments of principal over the period of the loan. Interest is payable six monthly on the outstanding balance. The interest rate is the relevant national loan fund rate for the day of the loan, and varies with the term of the loan.
	NHS trust debt held by the Department may be written off by the Secretary of State. Such a write-off would constitute a loss to the Exchequer and would as a consequence be reported in the Department's Resource Accounts. Any write-off exceeding £20 million requires HM Treasury approval. In such cases, in advance of the remission of debt, HM Treasury presents a minute to the House of Commons to give the particulars of the remission and to explain the circumstances.
	The financing arrangements for financially challenged trusts are being considered as part of the review process for these trusts.

Nicotine Patches

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the evidential basis is for the statement on page 37 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy, that some primary care trusts have enabled pharmacists to supply nicotine replacement therapy through  (a) voucher schemes and  (b) patient group directions; and if he will list the primary care trusts which have done so.

Dawn Primarolo: In 2005-06, 2,522 community pharmacies in England were locally commissioned by the primary care trusts (PCTs) in the following table to provide national health service stop smoking services. We are aware that, as part of these services, some PCTs have enabled pharmacists to supply nicotine replacement therapy to patients and the public through voucher schemes and patient group directions but information on which PCTs have done so is not collected centrally.
	 PCTs contracting with community pharmacies to provide stop smoking services at 31 March 2007
	Ashton, Leigh and Wigan
	Barnsley
	Bath and North East Somerset
	Bedfordshire
	Berkshire East Teaching
	Berkshire West
	Bexley Care Trust
	Birmingham East and North
	Blackburn with Darwen Teaching
	Blackpool
	Bournemouth and Poole Teaching
	Brighton and Hove City Teaching
	Bristol Teaching
	Bromley
	Bury
	Camden
	Central Lancashire
	City and Hackney Teaching
	Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
	Croydon
	Derby City
	Derbyshire County
	Devon
	Doncaster
	Dorset
	Dudley
	Ealing
	East and North Hertfordshire
	East Sussex Downs and Weald
	Eastern and Coastal Kent Teaching
	Enfield
	Great Yarmouth and Waveney Teaching
	Halton and St. Helens
	Hammersmith and Fulham
	Hampshire
	Haringey Teaching
	Harrow
	Hastings and Rother
	Heart of Birmingham Teaching
	Herefordshire
	Hillingdon
	Hounslow
	Hull Teaching
	Isle of Wight Healthcare
	Islington
	Kensington and Chelsea
	Kingston
	Knowsley
	Lambeth
	Leeds
	Leicester City Teaching
	Lewisham
	Lincolnshire Teaching
	Liverpool
	Luton Teaching
	Manchester
	Medway Teaching
	Mid Essex
	Middlesbrough
	Milton Keynes
	Newcastle
	Newham
	North Somerset
	North Staffordshire
	North Tyneside
	North Yorkshire and York
	Northamptonshire Teaching
	Northumberland Care Trust
	Nottingham City
	Nottinghamshire County Teaching
	Oldham
	Redcar and Cleveland
	Richmond and Twickenham
	Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton
	Rotherham
	Salford Teaching
	Sandwell
	Sefton
	Sheffield
	Shropshire County
	South Birmingham
	South East Essex
	South Staffordshire
	South West Essex Teaching
	Southwark
	Stockport
	Stoke on Trent Teaching
	Suffolk
	Sunderland Teaching
	Surrey
	Sutton and Merton
	Swindon
	Tameside and Glossop
	Telford and Wrekin
	Tower Hamlets
	Trafford
	Walsall Teaching
	Wandsworth
	Warrington
	Warwickshire
	West Essex
	West Hertfordshire
	West Kent
	West Sussex Teaching
	Westminster
	Wiltshire
	Wirral
	Wolverhampton City.
	 Source
	The Information Centre for health and social care

Nurseries: Infectious Diseases

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider issuing guidance on the notification of infectious diseases in nursery establishments.

Dawn Primarolo: The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has issued "Guidance on infection control in schools and other child care settings", which also includes nurseries. This guidance draws attention to the statutory duty of registered medical practitioners to report notifiable infectious diseases to the proper officer of the local authority under the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 and the Public Health (Infectious Diseases) Regulations 1988. It is available on HPA's website at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/schools/default.htm.
	A copy has been placed in the Library.

Nurses

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued on the provision of cancer clinical nurse specialists.

Ann Keen: The Department has not issued any specific guidance on the provision of cancer clinical nurse specialists.
	However, the Cancer Reform Strategy addresses the issue of clinical nurse specialists. The strategy, published on 3 December 2007, sets out the important role clinical nurse specialists have to play in improving the experience of people with cancer. It also noted that commissioners and providers should give particular consideration to the role of these nurses.
	In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has also identified clinical nurse specialists as core members of multidisciplinary teams in their Improving Outcomes series of cancer service guidance.
	The Cancer Reform Strategy reiterated the need to fully implement this guidance across the national health service.

Nurses

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with  (a) professional and  (b) patient representatives on the use of cancer clinical nurse specialists.

Ann Keen: The Department has had no discussions with professional and patient representatives specifically on the use of cancer clinical nurse specialists.
	However, the issue of cancer clinical nurse specialists was discussed by a number of advisory groups during the development of the Cancer Reform Strategy. These groups included both professional and patient representatives. The strategy was published on 3 December 2007. It set out the important role the clinical nurse specialist has to play in improving the experience of people with cancer. It also noted that commissioners and providers should give particular consideration to the role of these nurses.
	In addition, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has also identified clinical nurse specialists as core members of multidisciplinary teams in their Improving Outcomes series of cancer service guidance.
	The Cancer Reform Strategy reiterated the need to fully implement this guidance across the national health service.

Obesity

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many finished consultant episodes relating to obesity there were for  (a) patients aged under 18 years and  (b) patients aged over 18 years in (i) England and (ii) each strategic health authority area in each year from 1997-98 to 2006-07.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

Pregnancy

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost per live birth of  (a) antenatal care,  (b) childbirth and  (c) post-natal care for the first year.

Ann Keen: The antenatal and post-natal costs requested are not collected centrally.
	The following table shows the national average unit costs of different childbirth events, as calculated from costs reported by national health service trusts, NHS foundation trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) through the 2005-06 Reference Costs collection exercise. Costs are in 2005-06 prices.
	
		
			   £ 
			 Normal Delivery with complications 1,700 
			 Normal Delivery without complications 1,000 
			 Assisted Delivery with complications 2,100 
			 Assisted Delivery without complications 1,400 
			 Caesarian Section with complications 3,200 
			 Caesarian Section without complications 2,300 
			  Notes: 1. Costs in the table have been rounded to the nearest £100. 2. The 2005-06 reference costs are the latest data available. Reference Costs collect data at finished consultation episode level by health care resource group (HRG). 3. HRGs are clinically meaningful groups of diagnoses and treatments that consume similar levels of NHS resources. 4. These data are for NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts and PCTs combined, excluding excess bed days.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received a penalty charge for fraudulently claiming free prescriptions in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what the average charge imposed was.

Ann Keen: In the year 2006-07, 25,029 people received a penalty charge in accordance with the Health Act 1999, section 122B.
	Since 1 April 2005, the prescription charge penalty function has been a responsibility of primary care trusts. Detailed information on each penalty charge is not held centrally. The average penalty charge figure is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of trends in the rate of infection from respiratory syncytial virus in infants under the age of two in England in the last five years; and what steps he is taking to reduce the rate of infection among such infants;
	(2)  how many incidents of respiratory syncytial virus infection were recorded in  (a) October 2007,  (b) November 2007,  (c) October 2006 and  (d) November 2006.

Dawn Primarolo: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) activity, like flu, is seasonal and its severity varies from year to year. In the last five years the number of laboratory confirmed infections in children under two years of age has remained approximately constant, and has been lower than seen in previous years. 2006 was a particularly low year for the number of laboratory confirmed reports of RSV.
	The reports received so far for 2007 are higher than for the same period last year but are not exceptional in terms of activity observed in some earlier years.
	
		
			   Number of laboratory confirmed RSV specimens (all ages)( 1) 
			 October 2007 565 
			 November 2007 (2)1,824 
			 October 2006 150 
			 November 2006 869 
			 (1) Source: LabBase, Health Protection Agency. Data extracted by date of specimen (2) Data for November provisional

Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of compliance with the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation guidance on respiratory syncytial virus at  (a) national and  (b) strategic health authority level.

Dawn Primarolo: These data are not held centrally. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation estimated that their recommendation would mean that around 2,000 babies would receive palivizumab treatment.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of adherence within the NHS to guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation on prophylaxis against respiratory syncytial virus for babies and infants; and whether guidance on immunotherapy for respiratory syncytial virus is included in the Green Book on immunisation.

Dawn Primarolo: No assessment has been made on the level of adherence within the national health service to guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI) on prophylaxis against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for babies and infants. Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for the management of services and for specifying the level and quality of services provided. PCTs will in turn be held to account for their performance by the strategic health authority. Guidance on immunotherapy for RSV is not included in the Green Book on immunisation. The Green Book currently only provides advice on the national immunisation programme and vaccine-preventable diseases.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Disease Control

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to launch the £50 million advertising campaign to tackle sexually transmitted infections announced on 26 November 2004.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department launched its "Condom Essential Wear" awareness campaign to prevent sexually transmitted infections in November 2006. Plans for the continuation of the campaign in 2008-09 and beyond are currently being drawn up.

Skin Cancer: Health Education

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when his Department initiated the SunSmart campaign; how much funding his Department has committed to the SunSmart campaign in each year since its launch; what anticipated expenditure on the SunSmart campaign is in each year until 2010-11; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the evidential basis is for the statement in Box 6 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy, that the SunSmart campaign has  (a) increased knowledge of the causes of skin cancer,  (b) increased awareness of actions that can be taken to prevent skin cancer and  (c) positively influenced behaviour change among defined target groups; and what the defined target groups are.

Dawn Primarolo: The SunSmart campaign was launched in March 2003. Cancer Research UK applied to the Department for funding under the provisions of S64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 for the campaign and received around £20,000 in 2003-04 and subsequently has received under the S64 provisions £72,000 for 2004-05, £145,000 for 2005-06, £150,000 for 2006-07 and £104,000 for 2007-08. Also provisionally and subject to the availability of funds approved by Parliament, Cancer Research UK will receive for the SunSmart campaign £110,000 for 2008-09, and £115,000 for 2009-10. The recently published Cancer Reform Strategy refers to a Government commitment to increased funding for skin cancer awareness programmes.
	Evidence from the Office for National Statistics Omnibus survey has been used by the SunSmart campaign to gauge trends in sun protection knowledge, attitudes and behaviour. There is evidence of significant improvement in people's knowledge about specific risky behaviours. The campaign has targeted different high risk audience groups each year (for example teenagers and young adults in 2005).

Smoking: Health Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the four-week follow-up period used to assess the effectiveness of NHS Stop Smoking services.

Dawn Primarolo: There are no current plans to extend the four-week follow-up period used to assess the effectiveness of national health service Stop Smoking services. Clinical research has shown that longer-term follow-up can be highly resource-intensive as it becomes more difficult and time-consuming to contact people as time passes and we do not wish to place an unnecessary burden on the services.

Specialist Nurses

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what support his Department gives to specialist nurses for  (a) multiple sclerosis,  (b) epilepsy and  (c) Parkinson's disease; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he will issue best practice guidelines on the role of specialist nurses; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: National health service organisations are responsible for the skill mix of their work force. They are best placed to assess the health needs of their local health community and must have the freedom to deploy staff in ways appropriate for local conditions.
	Nurses caring for patients with neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease are vital to vulnerable groups of patients. The Department is working closely with the charities associated with these conditions to develop guidance for the NHS to ensure they can commission effectively and make best use of the skills of specialist nurses. The guidance will be published in spring 2008.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the Government are spending on research into  (a) neuromuscular diseases and  (b) spinal muscular atrophy in 2007-08.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.
	Over the last 10 years, the main part of the Department's total expenditure on health research has been devolved to and managed by national health service organisations.
	Details of individual NHS supported research projects including a number concerned with spinal muscular atrophy are available on the national research register at:
	www.nrr.nhs.uk.
	Implementation of the Department's research strategy "Best Research for Best Health" is resulting in an expansion of our research programmes and in significant new funding opportunities for health research. Four of the new Biomedical Research Centres formed this year will for example undertake research on neuromuscular disease; and the Research for Patient Benefit programme has funded two projects in this area.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government supports biomedical research. The MRC, an independent body funded by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills, funds a wide portfolio of research on neuromuscular disease including two projects specifically concerned with spinal muscular atrophy.

Sunbeds

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department will begin gathering information on the  (a) number and distribution of sunbeds and  (b) the scale of sunbed use by minors, as described in paragraph 2.43 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy; what options his Department is considering for the regulation of the sunbed industry; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department, working with stakeholders, will consider the best way to gather information about the number and distribution of sunbeds, and the scale of use by minors. The Department and stakeholders have considered a range of options for possible regulation of the sunbed industry. The Health and Safety Executive and the Department are continuing to assess how Leaflet INDG 209 might best contain information covering the use of automated tanning salons.

Vaccination

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will publish copies of  (a) correspondence with members of the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI) on Connecting for Health and  (b) minutes of JCVI meetings at which Connecting for Health was discussed in the last 18 months;
	(2)  what concerns about the electronic care record system have been  (a) communicated to him and  (b) raised by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

Dawn Primarolo: A copy of the correspondence between Professor Andrew Hall and the former Minister of State my right hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint), has been placed in the Library.
	The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) discussed issues relating to NHS Connecting for Health at its meetings on: 15 February 2006, 21 June 2006, 18 October 2006, 14 February 2007 and 20 June 2007. These minutes are available on the JCVI website, and a copy of each set of minutes has been placed in the Library.

Vaccination

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department plans to revise the Green Book on immunisation.

Dawn Primarolo: No decision has been taken on when to revise the Green Book published in 2006. The latest version is available on the Department of Health website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_079917

Vaccination: Children

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  who is responsible for ensuring that children in  (a) England,  (b) London and  (c) primary care trusts using the Child Health Interim Application system receive vaccinations;
	(2)  what statutory responsibilities  (a) the NHS and  (b) Government bodies have for vaccination programmes for children in England.

Dawn Primarolo: Responsibility for vaccination services lies with the primary care trust in England. The responsibility comes from the NHS Act 2006.

Vaccination: Children

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many children in London are covered by primary care trusts using the Child Health Interim Application system; and how many of those have  (a) received on time,  (b) received late and  (c) not received the vaccinations they are due;
	(2)  pursuant to the comments of the clinical director for NHS Connecting for Health on 27 February 2006, whether all children in the primary care trusts affected by problems with the Child Health Interim Application were offered vaccinations at the appropriate time within two months of 27 February 2006; and whether that process has continued.

Dawn Primarolo: The number of children in London primary care trusts (PCTs) covered by the Child Health Interim Applications systems is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  PCT  Children aged five and under 
			 Barking and Dagenham PCT 15,831 
			 Camden PCT 15,584 
			 City and Hackney Teaching PCT 21,306 
			 Haringey Teaching PCT 19,773 
			 Havering PCT 14,744 
			 Islington PCT 12,968 
			 Newham PCT 25,842 
			 Redbridge PCT 20,436 
			 Tower Hamlets PCT 19,824 
			 Waltham Forest PCT 19,984 
			 Total 186,292 
			  Source:  Population Statistics Database 
		
	
	Vaccination coverage for Barking and Dagenham PCT and Havering PCT together, for 2006-07 was 82 per cent. and for Newham PCT was 72 per cent. This information is available in the national health service immunisation statistics England 2006-07 and is available in the Library.
	Information on vaccination coverage from the other seven London PCTs is not available centrally.

Mental Health: Employment

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Written Ministerial Statement of 27 November 2007, on mental health and employment: meeting the challenge, what funding beyond that in existing plans will be provided for support for people with mental health conditions to find and stay in work.

Anne McGuire: I have been asked to reply.
	On 27 November we announced our intention to develop a national strategy for mental health and employment. The strategy will ensure that there is a coordinated response across government to the challenges faced by people of working age with mental health conditions, improving their employment chances.
	We intend to appoint a stakeholder steering group, to be chaired by Dame Carol Black, the National Director for Health and Work, to oversee the development of the strategy. This steering group will be appointed in the new year and will then lead work on the development of the strategy which forms part of wider work on the health and employment agenda.
	The expansion of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme at a cost of £170 million over three years, together with the £13 million now made available by DWP for additional support for GPs and employers represents a considerable Government commitment to supporting those with mental health conditions. This is in addition to the funding already committed to the roll-out of Pathways to Work, including the Condition Management Programmes.

TREASURY

Child Benefit: Personal Records

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) assessment he has made of the utility and  (b) estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of providing protective registration under the credit industry fraud avoidance system at no cost to those individuals whose data was contained on the discs lost between HM Revenue and Customs and the National Audit Office.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 29 November 2007
	As My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his statement to the House of Commons on 17 December 2007,  Official Report, columns 612-14, the police have no reason to believe that the data have fallen into the wrong hands.
	The acting chairman of HMRC has written to all customers affected confirming that banks and building societies have appropriate safeguards in place and advising customers on precautionary steps they may wish to take to further protect themselves, including regularly checking bank statements, and changing passwords if they contain personal data such as a child's name or date of birth.
	The Government have also had discussions with a range of organisations, and is continuing to keep the matter of protection under review.

Council Tax: Scotland

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what settlements were reached on council tax between the Treasury and the last Scottish Executive administration.

Angela Eagle: The level of council tax in Scotland is set by Scottish local authorities.

Departmental Data Protection

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions in  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies confidential data have been downloaded on to compact discs (i) without and (ii) with encryption in the last 12 month period for which figures are available; how many of those discs have been posted without using recorded or registered delivery; what procedures his Department has in place for the (A) transport, (B) exchange and (C) delivery of confidential or sensitive data; what records are kept of information held by his Department being sent outside the Department; what changes have been made to his Department's rules and procedures on data protection in the last two years; on how many occasions his Department's procedures and rules on data protection have been breached in the last five years; what those breaches were; what procedures his Department has in place on downloading confidential data on to computer discs before its transfer; what technical protections there are in his Department's computer systems to prevent access to information held on those systems which is not in accordance with departmental procedures; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each of his Department's rules and procedures on the protection of confidential data on individuals, businesses and other organisations.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the statement given in the House by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 20 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 1101-04.
	On 20 November, the Chancellor announced an independent review of HMRC's data handling procedures to be conducted by Kieran Poynter, chair of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
	The review will cover the steps that should be taken to ensure any further measures are adhered to consistently by all staff. The interim report was published on 7 December 2007 and is available in the Library of the House.
	I also refer the hon. Member to the remarks I made on 28 November 2007,  Official Report, column 344, setting out the three key steps all staff in HMRC must now follow for bulk data transfers.
	Further, as announced by the Prime Minister on 21 November 2007,  Official Report, column 1179, the review by the Cabinet Secretary and security experts is looking at procedures within Departments and agencies for the storage and use of data. A statement on Departments' procedures will be made on completion of the review.

Departmental Data Protection

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Minister in his Department reviewed the formal document submitted by the Departmental Security/IT Officer following the risk assessment and risk management process for information security.

Jane Kennedy: Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is operationally independent of Ministers. It is established by statute and run by a board of Commissioners who are responsible for operational matters.
	The risk assessment and risk management processes for information security are kept under constant review by HM Revenue and Customs.

Departmental Data Protection

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what occasions he has met the Departmental Security Officer who last carried out a periodic security review of  (a) his Department and  (b) HM Revenue and Customs in accordance with the manual of protective security.

Jane Kennedy: Treasury Ministers discuss a wide range of issues, including security, with officials in the Departments for which they are responsible.

Departmental Data Protection

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  when HM Revenue and Customs first carried out a risk assessment in accordance with section 0 (12) of the manual of protective security after its establishment; and when it last carried one out;
	(2)  when his Department carried out risk assessments in accordance with section 0 (12) of the manual of protective security over the last five years;
	(3)  when the last periodic review of security risks in  (a) his Department and  (b) HM Revenue and Customs took place in accordance with section 0 of the manual of protective security;
	(4)  when the last reassessment of risk was carried out by  (a) his Department and  (b) HM Revenue and Customs in accordance with section 0 (24) of the manual of protective security.

Jane Kennedy: Both HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs keep their security policies and procedures under constant review. They use the Cabinet Office Manual of Protective Security as the basis for ensuring that adequate and proportionate security measures are applied to protecting information, in all its forms, in their care. From that publication, they derive their own security policies and standards. Assurance activities test compliance with each Department's security policies and standards.

Departmental Data Protection

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what internal reports on data security have been submitted to Ministers in his Department in the last five years; and on what date each was submitted;
	(2)  what  (a) reports on and  (b) reviews of data security in HM Revenue and Customs have been ordered by Ministers in the last five years; and on what date each was (i) ordered and (ii) received.

Jane Kennedy: Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs is operationally independent of Ministers. It is established by statute and run by a board of Commissioners who are responsible for its operations but answerable to Parliament through the Chancellor. Treasury Ministers discuss a range of issues and tasks relating to the administration of the Department with officials in the Departments for which they are responsible.

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether personal data for which his Department is responsible is  (a) stored and  (b) processed overseas; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: No personal data for which this Department is responsible is stored or processed overseas.

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what obligations his Department and its agencies place on contractors in relation to the audit of personal data and IT equipment.

Angela Eagle: Contractors working for HM Treasury (HMT) and its agencies are required to agree to comply with Acceptable Use Policies prior to using any IT equipment or receiving access to network systems and the Government Secured Intranet. There are a number of contracts currently in use within HMT and its agencies. It is not possible to comment on each one individually, however HMT's General Terms and Conditions of Contract and the Model Contract Terms (produced by Office of Government Commerce) contain Data Protection Clauses, which require all contractors to be registered under the relevant parts of the Data Protection Act 1998 and to ensure that the applicable provisions of the Data Protection Act are complied with.

Departmental Data Protection

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what audits his Department and its agencies have carried out in relation to personal data and IT equipment in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Eagle: HMT and its agencies undertake either a formal programme of audits each year or carry out internal reviews which incorporate audits of personal data (of the general public and employees) and IT equipment. The extent and focus of these audits is dependent on the specific terms of reference for each review and a large number of audits have been carried out each year in the last 10 years that relate to these areas.

Departmental Marketing

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many branded plastic bags  (a) HM Revenue and Customs,  (b) the Valuation Office Agency and  (c) his Department purchased in the last 24 months for which figures are available; and at what cost in that period.

Angela Eagle: There have been no purchases of branded plastic bags during the last 24 months within HM Treasury and the Valuation Office Agency, and while there have also been no purchases made by the central procurement directorate of HM Revenue and Customs, there is a possibility that a small insignificant number may have been purchased by local offices within HM Revenue and Customs.

Departmental Recycling

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recycling scheme is in operation in each building operated by  (a) his Department,  (b) the Valuation Office Agency and  (c) HM Revenue and Customs.

Angela Eagle: The information is as follows:
	 HM Treasury
	As part of the waste management strategy for Treasury buildings, the majority of desk bins have been replaced by alternative receptacles placed throughout the buildings to encourage recycling. In addition, desk top recycler bins have also been provided to encourage better segregation and disposal of waste.
	Paper, cardboard, glass, plastic, aluminium cans, redundant IT equipment and mobile telephones are recycled at all three sites. In addition, batteries are recycled at the Norwich office and organic matter is disposed of into compost bins and the compost then used on the gardens.
	Waste is removed from sites by specialist waste contractors who recover any recyclable material from the general waste stream, with the balance sent to landfill.
	 Valuation Office Agency
	VOA offices recycle confidential waste paper. Mapeley are the service provider for the majority of VOA offices, and on these sites, lamps will also be recycled. Mapeley are piloting several recycling schemes across HMRC sites and VOA offices will be included in this scheme where Mapeley are the service provider. In addition, local offices have set up their own recycling initiatives. It is expected that a more comprehensive recycling scheme will be rolled out across the VO estate in the next financial year.
	 HM Revenue and Customs
	Mapeley and HMRC's service partners have a number of schemes in operation across the STEPs estate:
	HMRC has a range of contracts in place nationally for confidential and restricted waste paper recycling.
	Together with HMRC's service partner Mapeley, a recycling scheme is being implemented across 24 sites. Paper, cans and plastic are recycled in this scheme. This is a rolling programme which will be expanded to deliver a consistent service across the estate.
	Mapeley also provided accommodation to HMRC through third party landlords, who provide various recycling schemes. Most of the schemes are not controlled by Mapeley. However, in partnership with British Land, Mapeley has implemented a wet and dry waste recycling scheme at Euston Tower, London and Southgate House, Gloucester.
	Offices in and around London are serviced by a scheme run by Capital Waste.
	HMRC also have a number of local initiatives started by local staff e.g. charity toner cartridge recycling schemes.
	HMRC also have several other PFI providers who have various recycling initiatives in place.

Departmental Security Officer

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what occasions he and his predecessor met the Departmental Security Officer of  (a) his Department,  (b) the Inland Revenue,  (c) HM Customs and Excise and  (d) HM Revenue and Customs in the last three years.

Jane Kennedy: Treasury Ministers discuss a wide range of issues, including security, with officials in the departments for which they are responsible.

EU Grants and Loans

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people employed in his Department work on administering EU structural funds; and what the cost of such staff was in 2006-07.

Angela Eagle: EU structural funds in the UK are not administered by the Treasury but by the appropriate managing authority.

Government Departments: Assets

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value of the fixed assets of all Government Departments is.

Andy Burnham: The National Asset Register, published in January 2007, provides details of the value of fixed assets held by Government Departments.

Government Departments: Assets

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was realised from the sale of fixed assets by the Government in each of the last five years; and what the estimated total of such disposals for 2007-08 is.

Andy Burnham: Details of proceeds raised from the disposal of fixed assets is published at PBR (Ch. B), Budget (Ch. C) and in Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (Ch. 5).

Government Departments: Property

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which public authorities on the Electronic Property Information Mapping Service have vacant space; and what the area or size of the vacant space is in each case.

Angela Eagle: A breakdown of actual vacant space area by Department, and this figure as a percentage of total space, has been outlined in the following table, as recorded on e-PIMS on 8 January 2008.
	
		
			  Parent Department  Area of vacant space (m2)  Percentage of total space 
			 Cabinet Office 2524 1.59 
			 Charity Commission 501 4.31 
			 Communities and Local Government 4772 1.36 
			 Crown Prosecution Service 983 0.66 
			 Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 49549 5.50 
			 Department for Children, Schools and Families 7766 4.41 
			 Department for Culture, Media and Sport 4446 0.53 
			 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 25837 4.27 
			 Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills 35265 2.93 
			 Department for Transport 16495 2.14 
			 Department for Work and Pensions 112473 5.44 
			 Department of Health 14066 2.77 
			 Forestry Commission 203 0.50 
			 HM Revenue and Customs 91 0.01 
			 Home Office 2610 0.38 
			 Ministry of Defence 2346 0.31 
			 Ministry of Justice 13624 0.78 
			 National Probation Directorate 4756 1.69 
			 Ordnance Survey 2053 3.91 
			 Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman 210 5.01 
			 The Scottish Government 310 0.05 
			 Treasury 14682 6.92

Government Departments: Property

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Electronic Property Information Mapping Service holds historic property data over time.

Angela Eagle: The Electronic Property Information Mapping Service holds data for each financial year from 2004-05.

HM Revenue and Customs: Delivery Services

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many items placed with mail carriers for delivery by HM Revenue and Customs in the last 12 months did not reach their intended destination.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not available.

HM Revenue and Customs: Security

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) of 29 October 2007,  Official Report, column 905W, on HM Revenue and Customs: security, if he will disaggregate the 2,111 reported breaches of security recorded between HM Revenue and Customs' various offices.

Jane Kennedy: It would be inappropriate to disaggregate the information to the level of individual named offices. To do so could potentially impact on security at the individual offices.

International Monetary Fund: Gold and Foreign Exchange Reserves

James Duddridge: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what discussions the Government have had on the sale of gold by the International Monetary Fund;
	(2)  what representations the Government have received on the sale of gold by the International Monetary Fund.

Angela Eagle: Following the publication of the report of the Committee to Study Long Term Financing of the IMF in January 2007, which made a number of recommendations on the IMF's income model, including on gold sales, we expect the new IMF managing director, Dominique Straus-Kahn, to make a comprehensive proposal on IMF income and expenditure to the executive board ahead of the IMF spring meeting in April. Any proposed gold sales would require a 85 per cent. vote in favour by the members of the IMF. The UK Government believe that any sales of gold should take place in an orderly way, phased overtime, and within the bounds set by official sellers of gold in recent years so as to avoid disruption to the gold market.

Lyons Inquiry

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department will produce a formal response to the Lyons Inquiry on local government.

Angela Eagle: Treasury will not be issuing a formal response to the Lyons inquiry. Sir Michael Lyons report set out a wide-ranging analysis of local government and local government finance and many of his recommendations have, and will continue to, inform the ongoing development of Government policy.

Members: Correspondence

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland on his Department's consideration of preferential rates of fuel duty in rural and remote areas.

Angela Eagle: I have replied to the hon. Member.

Minimum Wage

Jon Trickett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many London-based staff are employed by his Department on the national minimum wage.

Angela Eagle: All Treasury staff based in London are paid above the national minimum wage.

Mortgages: Interest Rates

Clive Betts: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  whether the housing finance review will consider taxation barriers to the development of products that give interest rate protection;
	(2)  whether the Government plans to act on the recommendation of the Miles Report on the treatment of stand alone interest rate insurance as insurance for tax purposes;
	(3)  if the Government will take steps to consult industry on taxation barriers to the development of products that give interest rate protection, as stated in the Housing Green Paper.

Angela Eagle: A response to the Miles recommendation on the treatment of stand-alone interest rate insurance was given in Budget 2005 stating the Government stood ready to engage with firms considering entering the market. This is still the position and we welcome discussions with such firms.
	The Housing Finance Review is also considering any remaining barriers to the efficient supply of mortgage finance. This includes investigating innovative financial products which help borrowers manage their housing-related risks. The review team remain engaged with the industry and will take into account their comments when making recommendations. The review will report its findings at Budget 2008.

Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the  (a) mean and  (b) median change in business rates per empty property in the first full year of operation of the reduced levels of business rate tax relief for empty properties.

Jane Kennedy: No estimates are available.

Non-domestic Rates: Valuation

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place the Valuation Office Agency's Ratings Cost Guide in the Library.

Jane Kennedy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 17 October 2007,  Official Report, column 1145W.

Northern Ireland: Fuel Laundering

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many fuel laundering plants have been closed by HM Revenue and Customs and the police in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months; and how many arrests have been made in respect of these actions.

Jane Kennedy: In Northern Ireland, in the period January 2007 to date, a total of eight laundering plants have been dismantled by HM Revenue and Customs and five arrests were made in relation to these operations. HM Revenue and Customs are solely responsible for dealing with fuel laundering plants, and any that are initially detected by the Police Service Northern Ireland are immediately referred to HMRC for action.

Office of Government Commerce

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the guidance note produced by the Office of Government Commerce on social issues in purchasing.

Angela Eagle: A copy of the information requested has been placed in the Library.

Office of Government Commerce

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procurement guidance the Office of Government Commerce has produced for local authorities, on the purchase of receptacles for the collection of household rubbish.

Angela Eagle: The Office of Government Commerce has not produced specific guidance for local authorities on the purchase of receptacles for the collection of household rubbish.

Offshore Industry: North Sea

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what research his Department has carried out into the long-term economic impact on the UK of the reduction of oil and gas supplies from the North Sea.

Angela Eagle: The UK still has significant oil and gas resources. While some 37 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) have been produced to date, estimates of the hydrocarbons remaining to be produced from the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) range from 16 to 25 billion boe(1). As set out most recently in "Securing a sustainable future: a consultation on the North Sea Fiscal Regime", the Government are committed to maximising the economic recovery of hydrocarbons from the UK Continental Shelf.
	(1) Source: May 2007 Energy White Paper, page 109.

Planning Gain Supplement

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much  (a) his Department,  (b) the Valuation Office Agency and  (c) HM Revenue and Customs has spent on research, consultancy and preparation costs for the Planning Gain Supplement.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs, and Communities and Local Government have undertaken preliminary work to develop and explore the feasibility of a Planning-gain Supplement since 2004. This has included the publication of one consultation document alongside the 2005 pre-Budget report and three consultation documents alongside the 2006 pre-Budget report. The costs incurred have been borne by the respective Departments as part of the normal policy development process.

Private Finance Initiative: Expenditure

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much public expenditure he estimates there will be as a result of private finance initiative programmes  (a) in place and  (b) planned in each year from 2008 to 2060.

Angela Eagle: The future profile of estimated unitary charge payments for signed PFI projects is published alongside each Budget and pre-Budget report. At PBR/CSR 2007 this projection was printed at Table 19 of PBR/CSR 2007: the economy and public finances—supplementary charts and tables. This document is available from the Treasury website at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/2/B/pbr_csr07_ economv907.pdf
	This covers projects up to 2032-33; it is not possible to predict the payments for future projects, which have not yet been signed, as the value of the unitary charge payments is subject to negotiation during the procurement process.

Revenue and Customs: Data Protection

Nigel Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer of how many UK citizens participating in witness protection programmes the data was on the two discs lost by HM Revenue and Customs.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 11 December 2007
	 It is not normal practice to comment on security matters relating to UK citizens participating in witness protection programmes.

Valuation Office

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings the Valuation Office Agency has had with  (a) the Valuation and Lands Agency (including its new successor agency),  (b) the Scottish Assessor's Association and  (c) the Irish Republic's Valuation Office, in the last 12 months; and on what dates.

Jane Kennedy: Representatives of the Valuation Office Agency and of the organisations listed meet regularly to discuss valuation issues and practices common to the public sector, inter alia in the light of evolving case law.

Valuation Office: Data Protection

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of  (a) the Valuation Office Agency's and  (b) HM Revenue and Customs' internal staff handbook or guidance on data security.

Jane Kennedy: It is not appropriate to put documents detailing the precise internal security arrangements of specific Government Departments or Agencies into the public domain.

Valuation Office: Pay

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the value was of bonuses paid to staff by the Valuation Office Agency in each of the last five years; and how many payments were made in each year.

Jane Kennedy: The number of staff awarded bonuses by the Valuation Office Agency and the aggregate value of the payments made in each of the last five years is listed as follows.
	
		
			   Number of staff receiving bonus payments  Total value of payments (£) 
			 2003 253 287,289 
			 2004 282 321,486 
			 2005 0 0 
			 2006 0 0 
			 2007 472 225,564 
		
	
	For 2005 and 2006 it introduced a recognition payments voucher scheme to recognise any instance of special effort or performance—over and above the normal day-to-day expectations for a person's role: such payments could be made at any time and were not linked to the pay system.

Valuation Office: Secondment

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been seconded to the Valuation Office Agency in the last 12 months; from which outside bodies; and what the length is of each secondment.

Jane Kennedy: Two staff have been seconded to the VOA in the last 12 months:
	one from the Australian Valuation Office for six months
	one from the Hong Kong Rating and Valuation Department for six months

Valuation Office: Secondment

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff have been seconded to the Valuation Office Agency from outside central Government in the last 36 months; from which outside bodies; and for what period of time.

Jane Kennedy: Five staff have been seconded to the Valuation Office Agency from outside central Government in the last 36 months.
	Three staff from the Australian Valuation Office (two for six months each and one for five months).
	Two staff from the Hong Kong Rating and Valuation Department for six months each.

Valuation Office: Training

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's  (a) eLearning dwelling house coding module and  (b) Quick Guide to DWH Coding.

Jane Kennedy: A copy of  (a) the e-learning dwelling house coding module will be placed in the Library of the House. The  (b) Quick Guide to dwelling house coding is available on the Valuation Office Agency website at:
	www.voa.gov.uk

Waste Disposal: Domestic Wastes

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the proposed new charge for the collection of household rubbish will be classed as a tax, for statistical purposes by  (a) HM Treasury and  (b) the Office for National Statistics.

Angela Eagle: The income collected under the waste reduction and recycling schemes proposed in the Climate Change Bill will be classified as taxation, in accordance with national accounts guidelines. Local authorities will, however, retain the income and will be required to use it to fund rebates to local residents.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Departmental Data Protection

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many confirmed security breaches of databases controlled by his Department occurred in each of the last five years; whether the breach resulted from internal or external sources in each case; how many records were compromised on each occasion; and what estimate was made of the total number of records accessible to the individuals concerned.

David Lammy: holding answer 17 December 2007
	Except in exceptional cases, when it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive governments not to comment on breaches of security.

Departmental Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much has been spent by his Department  (a) in total and  (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created in June 2007 and takes promoting equality and diversity extremely seriously. There are legal duties to promote disability, ethnicity, and gender equality which cover all civil servants. This means that all members of the Department have a responsibility for promoting equality, and contribute to this through their daily work. The Department believes that reducing inequality is the key to raising attainment and improving life chances for all learners. The staff and other budgets for the former DfES can be viewed through the Department's annual reports for the last three years.
	In the former DfES, and now at DCSF, there is also a small unit of thirteen people dedicated to work on anti-discrimination law, and on Human Resources and equality, and to mainstreaming equality. That unit also supports the work of DIUS. Resources allocated to that unit for staffing, and for other costs of promoting equalities, are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Salary costs  Other related costs  Total 
			 2007-08 514,067 167,463 681,530 
			 2006-07 563,959 161,257 725,216 
			 2005-06 580,421 94,690 675,111 
		
	
	We are considering the future organisation of and support for equality and diversity work with DCSF colleagues so that we can establish the future staffing requirements for DIUS. All employees are expected to consider how they can promote equality and diversity in their individual capacities and roles.

Departmental Parliamentary Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many staff work in his Department's parliamentary branch; and what proportion of their time is spent on dealing with  (a) parliamentary questions and  (b) correspondence from hon. Members and Peers.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	We have six members of staff who deal with the parliamentary business for my Department and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. We do not keep a record of the proportion of staff time spent dealing with parliamentary questions.
	Correspondence from hon. Members and Peers is not dealt with by the parliamentary team.

National Identity Register

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what plans his Department has to make use of data on the National Identity Register when it is established; and what the estimated cost to his Department of that use is.

David Lammy: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills will be working with the Home Office prior to the introduction of the National Identity scheme to establish how identity information held on the proposed National Identity Register might be used to provide easier access to Department's services for our customers. It is too early in the process to establish the detailed costs and benefits.

Near Earth Object Information Centre

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much the Government have spent on the UK Near Earth Object Information Centre since January 1999; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Funding for the Near Earth Object Information Centre based at the National Space Centre in Leicester began in 2001 with a budget of 300,000 over three years. During this period the Near Earth Object Information Centre provided guidance on NEO close approaches and undertook a promotional and outreach programme under the guidance of the British National Space Centre, (BNSC). In 2004-05 funding from BNSC was 25,000 a yearthe level at which it currently stands.

Near Earth Object Information Centre

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the performance of the UK Near Earth Object Information Centre against its objectives since it was established; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: The Near Earth Object Information Centre is based at the National Space Centre in Leicester. Its principle role on behalf of Government has been to provide reporting on NEO close approaches, where appropriate working with the academic community and undertaking outreach activity including information services to schools, the public and the media.

Near Earth Object Information Centre

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many regional Near Earth Object Information Centres have been set up since 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: I understand that the Near Earth Object Information Centre at the National Space Centre in Leicester has a formal working relationship with three centresin London, Edinburgh and Belfast.

Near Earth Objects: International Cooperation

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will make it his policy to plan joint working with the US Administration to address the risk posed by Near Earth Objects; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: There are regular meetings between the US Administration, including the State Department and NASA, and UK authorities. There are no current plans to work jointly on Near Earth Objects but the planned exploration initiative between the Science Technology Facilities Council and NASA may provide an opportunity to do so in due course.

Vocational Education: Olympic Games 2012

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what initiatives his Department has launched to use the 2012 London Olympics as a vehicle for promoting upskilling and vocational learning; and who he has appointed to lead them.

David Lammy: holding answer 3 December 2007
	We are using the games to drive forward the broader skills agenda to bring about systemic change and ensure a legacy that is felt long term not just in London but nationwide. In the main, this will be achieved using existing initiatives such as Train to Gain, as we help employers in meeting their skill needs to design, build and deliver the games, and encourage individuals to develop their skills so that they can compete for opportunities and progress within the labour market beyond 2012.
	On the employer side, two cluster groups of Sector Skills Councils are leading two areas: one to look specifically at the issues relating to the built environment and environmental improvements for the games; and the other is looking at the staging and legacy aspects of the games. Other specific employer-led initiatives include work by Go Skills with Transport for London to build and diversify their workforce; a programme of media training placements being developed by Skillset; the National Skills Strategy for hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism in England developed by People 1st; and the National Skills Academy for Construction centre on the Olympic site which the Prime Minister announced on 29 November. Individual's initiatives include new advanced apprenticeships in sporting excellence; customer service and hospitality apprenticeships; and the LDA-led personal best programme which is currently being piloted in London but will be offered nationally and is targeted at individuals furthest away from the labour market to improve skills and promote employability.

Vocational Training: Lincolnshire

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many Train to Gain places have been made available in  (a) North East Lincolnshire and  (b) North Lincolnshire.

David Lammy: Train to Gain is a major aspect of the drive to create a demand-led service and does not generate places in the traditional sense. Through Train to Gain, employers can access the advice and support they need to help them identify and then meet the skills their businesses need to succeed. In the first year of its operation, there were a total of 498 learners funded through Train to Gain in the North East Lincolnshire Area and 708 in the North Lincolnshire Area.

Vocational Training: Standards

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of people who started training under Train to Gain failed to complete their course in the last period for which figures are available.

David Lammy: According to latest figures from the Learning and Skills Council, based on individual learner records between April 2006 and July 2007 229,470 people started learning through Train to Gain. During this same period 12,024 people left their course with no achievement, this equates to 5.2 per cent. of all starts. However, ILR information is still being updated so this figure may change. In addition there will always be learners who are still on programme but are past their planned learning end date. These learners may well complete their programme of learning.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

A-level: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the evidential basis is for his statement in the answer of 8 October 2007,  Official Report, columns 389-90W, on A-level: standards, that improvements in success rates at A-level are a result of additional public expenditure on  (a) teachers,  (b) support staff and  (c) school buildings; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: It is the remit of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to regulate the public examination system. Their reports on standards over time have shown that standards in A levels have been maintained. It therefore follows that improved successes must be down to improvements in schools and young people's hard work.
	Ofsted report that standards of teaching are continuing to improve. This would not have been possible without the investment that has seen the numbers of regular full-time equivalent (FTE) teachers in the maintained sector in England rise from 400,300 in 1997 to 439,300 in 2007. In addition the number of support staff employed in our schools has more than doubled, with the latest figures showing that 308,200 FTE school support staff were employed in all maintained schools in England in January 2007. This represents a rise of 174,300 since 1997.
	Furthermore, there is research to show that capital investment can lead to improved pupil performance and that investment is a strong leaver on pupil and teacher motivation. Details have been placed in the Library. The Government remains committed to improving educational achievement, and to providing capital funding to improve schools and raise standards, with support for capital investment in school buildings of 21.9 billion in total over the three years 2008-09 to 2010-11, including PFI credits.

A-level: Standards

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of children identified as gifted and talented have achieved three A grades at A-level in each of the last three years.

Jim Knight: The proportion of students aged 16 to 18 identified as gifted and talented in maintained schools who achieved three A grades at A level in 2006 was 29.6 per cent. The corresponding figure for 2007 was 29.1 per cent. These figures do not include young people attending post-16 institutions. National data on gifted and talented pupils have only been collected since 2006.

Assessments: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 12 December 2007,  Official Report, column 717W, on assessments: standards, whether it is his policy that all Key Stage national tests should be marked at addresses within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The recruitment, training and management of external markers for national curriculum tests at key stages 2 and 3 is a matter for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Markers of all national curriculum tests must have an address in the United Kingdom for delivery of scripts.

CFBT Education Services

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 21 November 2007,  Official Report, column 952W, on CfBT, what services are provided to his Department by CfBT Education Trust.

Jim Knight: CfBT Education Trust provide the following services to the Department:
	Managing the delivery of a range of services for gifted and talented learners aged four-19 and their educators; Providing subject specific support to schools for the foundation subjects to support teaching of the new secondary curriculum from September 2008;
	Delivering the 'Out and About Package' of 'How to' guidance, resources and continuous professional development modules for teachers/the wider workforce and others.

Children in Care

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many children in the care of local authority social services are  (a) from the EU and  (b) from outside the EU;
	(2)  how many children  (a) were in the care of local authority social services,  (b) came into care as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and  (c) have gone missing from care in each of the last three years.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 7 January 2008
	Information on the number of children looked after by local authorities who  (a) come from the EU and  (b) from outside the EU, is not collected centrally by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF).
	The number of children looked after who:
	 (a) were in the care of local authority social services at 31 March 2005 to 2007 was as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005 61,000 
			 2006 60,300 
			 2007 60,000 
		
	
	These figures account for all children looked after at 31 March, excluding children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements.
	 (b) came into care as unaccompanied asylum-seeking children i.e. started to be looked after during each of the years ending 31 March 2005 to 2007 was as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005 1,800 
			 2006 2,300 
			 2007 2,100 
		
	
	 (c) have gone missing from care during each of the years ending 31 March 2005 to 2007 was as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2005 860 
			 2006 890 
			 2007 950 
		
	
	These figures account for all children looked after, excluding children looked after under an agreed series of short-term placements, and where a child was reported missing from his or her agreed placement on more than one occasion during the same year, he or she has been counted only once.

Communications Directorate: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the aims are of his Department's Communications Directorate; what targets have been set for it; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The aim of the DCSF Communications Directorate is to provide high quality, innovative communication activities to help deliver the Department's objectives. The Communications Directorate works with departmental colleagues, partners and stakeholders to ensure a clear understanding of children, schools and families policy among all audiences.
	The Communications Directorate supports the Department's strategic objectives to:
	1. Secure the wellbeing and health of children and young people.
	2. Safeguard the young and vulnerable.
	3. Achieve world class standards in education.
	4. Close the gap in educational achievement for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
	5. Ensure young people are participating and achieving their potential to 18 and beyond.
	6. Keep children and young people on the path to success.

Dance

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will increase the priority given to dance in the Learning Outside the Classroom manifesto.

Jim Knight: The Manifesto vision is for every young person to experience the world beyond the classroom as an essential part of learning and personal development, whatever their age, ability or circumstances. More than 750 organisations, covering a range of activities from adventure and field studies to heritage and the arts, have signed up to this vision. Signatories include the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, and individual sports colleges.
	We recognise the importance of young people having opportunities to perform and to see live dance. That is why one of our eight Manifesto sector partnerships is dedicated to Creativity and Arts, represented on the national advisory group by Arts Council England.
	The Department is developing an Out and About package, which will include guidance, resources and continuing professional development. The Association of Physical Education has been invited to contribute. The review of access and provision to dance both within and beyond the curriculum, led by Tony Hall, the chief executive of the Royal Opera House, will also feed into the process.

Delivery Unit

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which aspects of his Department's work programme he requested the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit to look at during his September meeting with the unit; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Secretary of State has requested that the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit look at the academies programme, in addition to departmental public sector agreements.

Departmental Data Protection

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many confirmed security breaches of databases controlled by his Department occurred in each of the last five years; whether the breach resulted from internal or external sources in each case; how many records were compromised on each occasion; and what estimate was made of the total number of records accessible to the individuals concerned.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 17 December 2007
	Except in exceptional cases, when it is in the public interest, it has been the policy of successive Governments not to comment on breaches of security.

Departmental Equality

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been spent by his Department  (a) in total and  (b) on staff costs on promoting equality and diversity in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and how many people are employed by his Department for this purpose.

Kevin Brennan: The Department for Children Schools and Families is committed to an agenda to narrow inequality. Under the relevant legal duties all members of the Department have a responsibility for promoting disability, ethnicity, arid gender equality. Tackling inequality is central to raising attainment and improving life chances. Details of the Department's total resources are published in our annual reports. As a Department we also aim to be an exemplary employer, ensuring that all staff have an equal opportunity to meet their aspirations and realise their potential
	In the former DFES, and now at DCSF, 13 people are dedicated to work on anti-discrimination law, mainstreaming a focus on equality into all policy making, and on achieving equality as an employer. The budget for this in 2007-08 is 681,530; broken down as: salaries 514,067; other related costs 167,463.
	The budget for 2006-07 was 725,216salaries 563,959; other related costs 161,257.
	The budget for 2005-06 was 675,111salaries 580,421; other related costs 94,690.

Departmental Parliamentary Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many staff work in his Department's parliamentary branch; and what proportion of their time is spent on dealing with  (a) Parliamentary Questions and  (b) correspondence from hon. Members and Peers.

Kevin Brennan: We have six members of staff who deal with the parliamentary business for my Department and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. We do not keep a record of the proportion of staff time spent dealing with parliamentary questions. Correspondence from hon. Members and Peers is not dealt with by the parliamentary team.

Education: Appeals

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many appeals were made to the Independent Schools Adjudicator against decisions taken by local education authorities in each year since 2000; and how many of these appeals have been successful;
	(2)  how many appeals against decisions taken by the Essex Local Education Authority have been directed toward the independent schools adjudicator since 2000;
	(3)  how many appeals made to the independent schools adjudicator against decisions taken by the Essex Local Education Authority since 2000 have been successful.

Jim Knight: Under local decision-making arrangements in force from September 1999 to May 2007, local authorities decided statutory proposals for changes to school provision in their areas where there were no objections. There was no right of appeal against local authority decisions. Other proposals were normally decided by the local School Organisation Committee (SOC) unless the SOC failed to reach a unanimous decision. In these cases, the proposal passed to the adjudicator to decide. There was no right of appeal against SOC decisions until May 2003. From May 2003, it was possible for the proposers of a new school (other than the local Church of England or Roman Catholic diocesan bodies) and the governing body of a school (other than a grammar school) proposed for expansion to appeal to the schools adjudicator against decisions made by the local SOC.
	Under the new local decision-making arrangements introduced from 25 May 2007, local SOCs have been abolished and decisions are taken by the local authority in most cases. The following may appeal to the schools adjudicator against local authority decisions: the local Church of England and Roman Catholic diocesan bodies; the proposers for a new school (other than in a school competition); the governors and trustees of a foundation or voluntary schools; the Learning and Skills Council where proposals relate to a school providing education for pupils aged 14 or over; and the governing body of a community school (other than a grammar school) that is proposed for expansion.
	There was one appeal to the schools adjudicator, against a decision made by a local SOC, between May 2003 and May 2007 and this was rejected. There has been one appeal against a decision by a local authority since 25 May 2007 and this was approved. Neither of these was to a decision made by Essex local authority.

Education: Assessments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what response his Department has made to the recommendation from the General Teaching Council in 2006 that the Government should introduce a sample test of pupils in English schools on an annual basis across the whole curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We have no record of the Department being formally approached in 2006 by the GTC for a response to their recommendations about sample testing.
	Tests have, and will continue to have, an important place in this Government's strategy for further raising standards. Tests provide an objective means of assessing all pupils on a consistent basis providing information on standards nationally, improving accountability and helping inform parents and teachers how individual pupils are progressing. This could not be achieved with sample testing.

Education: Assessments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many complaints his Department has received from  (a) primary school head teachers,  (b) secondary school head teachers and  (c) further education colleges on the marking standard of external exam papers in the last 12 months.

Jim Knight: The Department has received two complaints from primary school head teachers, three complaints from secondary school head teachers and one complaint from a further education college on the marking standard of external exam papers in the last 12 months.

Education: Assessments

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average time taken was for A-level papers to be re-marked after the original marks had been appealed in each year since 2001, broken down by  (a) subject and  (b) examination board.

Jim Knight: This information is not held centrally. However, all awarding bodies must abide by common deadlines for handling appeals. These deadlines are sent out to schools and colleges in the Enquiries About Results (EAR) booklet which is published every year by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ).
	Data on remarking of exam papers back to 2003 can be found in the EAR report for the summer GCSE and A level exams series. These reports are published on the QCA's website at http://www.qca.org.uk/qca_5778 .aspx.

Education: Copeland

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many 16 to 18-year-olds were in full-time education within Copeland in each year between 1997 and 2007;
	(2)  how many 16 to 18-year-olds were not in full-time education within Copeland in each year between 1997 and 2007.

Jim Knight: The requested information is not available. The Department's estimates of local participation in education and training cannot be broken down to parliamentary constituency level, and only cover people of academic age 16 and 17(1). However, we can provide estimates for the numbers and proportions of young people of academic age 16 and 17 who were in full-time education in Cumbria between 1997 and 2005. These are provided in the following tables:
	(1)Academic age is defined as the age at the beginning of the academic year, 31 August
	
		
			  Number of 16 and 17-year-olds in full-time education in Cumbria 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			  16-year-olds  
			 In full-time education 4,123 4,137 4,351 4,168 4,454 4,231 4,342 4,540 4,540 
			 Not in full-time education 1,910 1,703 1,668 1,946 1,769 1,941 1,869 1,953 2,035 
			  17-year-olds  
			 In full-time education 3,540 3,439 3,479 3,360 3,383 3,488 3,477 3,388 3,749 
			 Not in full-time education 2,417 2,442 2,152 2,451 2,601 2,687 2,654 2,823 2,748 
			  16 and 17 - year - olds  
			 In full-time education 7,663 7,576 7,830 7,528 7,837 7,719 7,819 7,928 8,289 
			 Not in full-time education 4,327 4,145 3,820 4,397 4,370 4,628 4,523 4,776 4,783 
		
	
	
		
			  Proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds in full-time education in Cumbria 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			  16-year-olds  
			 In full-time education 68 71 72 68 72 69 70 70 69 
			 Not in full-time education 32 29 28 32 28 31 30 30 31 
			  17-year-olds  
			 In full-time education 59 58 62 58 57 56 57 55 58 
			 Not in full-time education 41 42 38 42 43 44 43 45 42 
			  16 and 17-year-olds  
			 In full-time education 64 65 67 63 64 63 63 62 63 
			 Not in full-time education 36 35 33 37 36 37 37 38 37 
		
	
	Participation of 16 and 17-year-olds in education and training is published in the Statistical First Release: Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16 to 18-year-olds in England: 2005 and 2006 and Participation in Education and Training by 16 and 17-year-olds in each local area in England: 2004 and 2005, please see the following link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000734/index.shtml

Free School Meals: Cleethorpes

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children were in receipt of free school meals in each school in Cleethorpes constituency in the last period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The available information relates to the percentage of children who are known to be eligible (and are claiming) a free school meal, and is provided in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary and secondary schools: free school meal arrangements: January 2007, Cleethorpes parliamentary constituency 
			  School  n ame  L A  number  Estab number  Number of pupils( 1)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals( 1)  Percentage  of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 
			 Alterton Primary School 812 2,000 226 45 19.9 
			 Barton St. Peter's CofE Primary School 813 3,057 269 41 15.2 
			 Baysgarth School 813 4,491 912 144 15.8 
			 Bowmandale Primary School 813 2,568 285 20 7.0 
			 Bursar Primary School 812 2,943 189 28 14.8 
			 Castledyke Primary School 813 2,940 275 72 26.2 
			 Coomb Briggs Primary School 812 2,877 168 11 6.5 
			 East Halton Primary School 813 2,116 42 3 7.1 
			 East Ravendale CofE Primary School 812 3,060 107 9 8.4 
			 Eastfield Infants' School 812 2,179 100 10 10.0 
			 Eastfield Junior School 812 2,178 160 39 24.4 
			 Elliston Infants' School 812 2,112 167 53 31.7 
			 Elliston Junior School 812 2,184 217 72 33.2 
			 Enfield (New Waltham) Primary School 812 2,145 130 * * 
			 Goxhill Primary School 813 2,118 229 17 7.4 
			 Healing Primary School 812 2,154 306 8 2.6 
			 Healing School, A Specialist Science College 812 4,084 789 27 3.4 
			 Humberston Cloverfields Primary School 812 2,939 272 * * 
			 Humberston Comprehensive School 812 4,092 707 37 5.2 
			 John Harrison CofE Primary School 813 3,056 151 9 6.0 
			 Killingholme Primary School 813 2,125 98 15 15.3 
			 Kirmington CofE Primary School 813 3,067 25 3 12.0 
			 Matthew Humberstone Church of England School 812 4,503 1,170 224 19.1 
			 Middlethorpe Primary School 812 2,182 221 12 5.4 
			 New Holland Church of England and Methodist Primary School 813 3,078 47 11 23.4 
			 New Waltham Primary School 812 2,124 279 6 2.2 
			 Queen Mary Avenue Infant School 812 2,113 205 67 32.7 
			 Reynolds Infants' School 812 2,183 137 8 5.8 
			 Reynolds Junior School 812 2,114 205 27 13.2 
			 Signhills Infants' School 812 2,175 248 11 4.4 
			 Signhills Junior School 812 2,176 354 16 4.5 
			 St Joseph's RC Primary School 812 3,514 163 32 19.6 
			 St Peter's CofE Primary School 812 3,059 130 50 38.5 
			 Stallingborough CofE Primary School 812 3,072 82 6 7.3 
			 Stanford Junior and Infant School 812 3,068 242 12 5.0 
			 The Canon Peter Hall CofE Primary School 812 3,516 194 70 36.1 
			 The Humberston CofE Primary School 812 3,065 285 7 2.5 
			 The Immingham School 812 4,073 718 125 17.4 
			 The Leas Infants' School 812 2,181 158 6 3.8 
			 The Leas Junior School 812 2,151 273 10 3.7 
			 The Lindsey School and Community Arts College 812 4,086 1,128 186 16.5 
			 Thrunscoe Infants' School 812 2,142 95 12 12.6 
			 Thrunscoe Junior School 812 2,153 153 27 17.6 
			 Tollbar Business and Enterprise College 812 4,078 1,840 75 4.1 
			 Ulceby St Nicholas Church of England Primary School 813 3,079 159 13 8.2 
			 William Barcroft Junior School 812 2,109 269 76 28.3 
			 Wootton St. Andrew's CofE Primary School 813 3,322 36 * * 
			 (1) Includes pupils with sole and dual registration who are full time and aged 0 to 15 (inclusive) and those who are part time and aged 5 to 15 (inclusive). * less than 3, or a rate based on less than 3.  Source: School Census

Further Education

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what proportion of young people remained in full-time education in the year after they ended compulsory schooling in each year since 1997;
	(2)  what proportion of young people remained in full-time education two years after they ended compulsory schooling in each year since 1997.

Jim Knight: Estimates for the proportion of young people of academic age 16 and 17 participating in full-time education in each year since 1997 are shown in the following table. Academic age is defined as age at the start of the academic year, 31 August, so young people of academic age 16 are in their first year after compulsory education, and those of academic age 17 are in their second year. The estimates are based on a snapshot at the end of the calendar year.
	
		
			  Percentage of young people in full-time education by academic age and year 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Aged 16 70.2 70.2 718 710 70.8 72.0 72.1 73.8 75.8 78.1 
			 Aged 17 58.7 58.5 59.7 60.0 58.5 59.0 59.9 60.5 62.7 65.0

GCSE: Tower Hamlets

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the most recent GCSE performance measures are for each secondary school in Tower Hamlets; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information is in the Library and available on the DCSF website at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/cgi-bin/performancetables/group_06.pl?Mode=ZNo=211Base=bType=LAPhase=1Year=06
	The data will be updated on 10 January with results from the 2006/07 exams.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what the reasons were for the decision not to proceed with the GCSE pilots for embedding functional skills assessment within GCSE English and ICT;
	(2)  how much his Department spent on preparing for the GCSE pilots for embedding functional skills assessment within GCSE English and ICT.

Jim Knight: We think it is important that young people have specific recognition of their functional skills as part of their 14 to 19 study and achievement. The development work done by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority ahead of the pilot which started in September was intended to look at the feasibility of different approaches.
	The work done on the embedded assessment models following the initial trials highlighted the technical difficulties of getting both a discrete assessment of functional skills attainment and a GCSE assessment out of the same exam without losing some of the essential information that is important to awarding a consistent GCSE grade. On that basis it was agreed that it would not be useful to use further resource to pursue these models as part of the pilot.
	It is not possible to disaggregate the specific cost of the work done on the embedded models as part of this work.

General Certificate of Secondary Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) GCSEs,  (b) GNVQs and  (c) vocational GCSE examinations have been sat by school pupils in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The information required is in the following table:
	
		
			   GCSEs  GNVQs( 1)  Vocational GCSEs( 2) 
			 1997/98 4,626,700 6,989  
			 1998/99 4,718,300 11,364  
			 1999/2000 4,718,100 14,266  
			 2000/01 4,944,000 20,850  
			 2001/02 4,957,600 67,055  
			 2002/03 5,030,700 91,965  
			 2003/04 5,137,600 48,444 106,170 
			 2004/05 5,053,600 67,559 141,114 
			 2005/06 5,060,500 80,197 158,350 
			 2006/07(3) 4,633,000 64,888 146,993 
			 (1 )Figures include GNVQ passes only. (2 )Vocational GCSEs began in 2003/04. (3 )Figures for 2006/07 are provisional. Schools get the opportunity to amend their results before the revised data is published in January 2008.  Note:  The figures for 2003/04 onwards relate to all pupils at the end of key stage 4. Figures before this relate to pupils who are 15-years-old at the start of each academic year, i.e. on 31 August.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his most recent target is for the proportion of pupils achieving five A* to C GCSEs by 2020; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Children's Plan, launched on 11 December, sets out a series of world class ambitions for what we can and should achieve for children by 2020. These include a goal that every young person should have the skills for adult life and further study, with at least 90 per cent. achieving the equivalent of five higher level GCSEs by age 19.
	In drawing up the plan we listened to parents, teachers and professionals, as well as to children and young people themselves. They told us what they thought was working, and what more they thought needed to be done. Over the next year, we will be consulting widely on whether the goals in the plan represent the right national ambitions.

General Certificate of Secondary Education: Welfare Tax Credits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will estimate how many and what proportion of 15-year-olds, whose parents were claiming tax credits, attained five GCSE passes at A*-C, including English and mathematics in 2007.

Jim Knight: We do not hold the information required to answer this question. However, the Statistical First Release on pupil characteristics has information on free school meal eligibility. The link below provides this:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000759/index.shtml

Literacy: Lincolnshire

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of children met the Government's literacy and numeracy targets in  (a) North East Lincolnshire and  (b) North Lincolnshire in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The Government have set ambitious public service agreement (PSA) targets for the proportion of pupils nationally that should achieve the expected levels for their age in English and mathematics at the end of Key Stages 2 and 3.
	The expected level of achievement at age 11 (the end of Key Stage 2) is Level 4. The Government's PSA target is for 85 per cent. of pupils to achieve level 4 or above in English and mathematics by 2006 with this level of performance sustained to 2008.
	The following table gives the percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or more in Key Stage 2 English tests in North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and all English maintained schools.
	
		
			   North East Lincolnshire  North Lincolnshire  England (maintained only) 
			 2002/03 69 72 72 
			 2003/04 77 76 77 
			 2004/05 79 79 79 
			 2005/06 75 78 79 
			 2006/07 77 80 80 
		
	
	The following table gives the percentage of pupils achieving level 4 or more in Key Stage 2 Mathematics tests in North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and all English maintained schools.
	
		
			   North East Lincolnshire  North Lincolnshire  England (maintained only) 
			 2002/03 72 70 72 
			 2003/04 72 72 74 
			 2004/05 75 75 75 
			 2005/06 75 74 76 
			 2006/07 75 76 77 
		
	
	The expected level of achievement at age 14 (the end of Key Stage 3) is Level 5. The Government's PSA target is for 85 per cent. of pupils to achieve level 5 or above in English and in mathematics by 2007 with this level of performance sustained to 2008.
	The following table gives the percentage of pupils achieving level 5 or more in Key Stage 3 English tests in North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and all English maintained schools.
	
		
			   North East Lincolnshire  North Lincolnshire  England (maintained only) 
			 2002/03 61 69 69 
			 2003/04 62 71 74 
			 2004/05 69 71 74 
			 2005/06 62 70 73 
			 2006/07 67 72 74 
		
	
	The following table gives the percentage of pupils achieving level 5 or more in Key Stage 3 Mathematics tests in North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and all English maintained schools.
	
		
			   North East Lincolnshire  North Lincolnshire  England (maintained only) 
			 2002/03 62 72 71 
			 2003/04 67 72 73 
			 2004/05 69 75 74 
			 2005/06 72 77 77 
			 2006/07 69 76 76

Marriage Guidance: Expenditure

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much has been spent on  (a) marriage support services,  (b) research into causes of marital breakdown and  (c) research into ways of preventing marital breakdown as a result of section 22 of the Family Law Act 1996 in each year since it became law; and what use he plans to make of this legislation in the future.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 7 January  2008
	The recently published Children's Plan commits to the development of better proposals to support parents and children during and after family breakdown, but we have no current plans to use section 22 of the Family Law Act 1996. Funding for family support services including marriage and relationship support and parenting is currently provided through the Children, Young People and Families Grant programme, using section 70 of the Charities Act 2006.
	Since 2006, the family policy element of the CYPF Grant programme funds 31 organisations, of which, 23 are strategic and eight are specific projects. The total grant given in this area since the policy responsibility passed by predecessors to this Department in 2003, is as follows:
	
		
			   Total family policy grant funding ( million) 
			 2002-03 10.8 
			 2003-04 10.8 
			 2004-05 11.3 
			 2005-06 11.3 
			 2006-07 (1)10.7 
			 2007-08 9.69 
			 (1) Machinery of government changes funding rationalisation. 
		
	
	The remainder of the information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Members: Correspondence

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many letters his Department and its predecessors received from hon. Members and Peers in each session of Parliament since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members/peers correspondence. Information relating to 2007 will be published as soon as it has been collated. The report for 2006 was published on 28 March 2007,  Official Report, columns 101-04WS. Reports for earlier years are available in the Library of the House.

Minimum Wage

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many London-based staff are employed by his Department on the national minimum wage.

Kevin Brennan: All London-based staff in the Department are employed above the national minimum wage level.

Primary Education: Class Sizes

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children there were on average in infant classes in Hendon in  (a) 1997 and  (b) 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The requested information is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Maintained primary schools( 1 ) average size of key stage one classes taught by one teacher( 2: ) Position in January 1997 and 2007: Hendon parliamentary constituency area 
			   1997  2007( 3) 
			 Number of pupils 3,302 3,480 
			 Number of classes 118 128 
			 Average class size 28.0 27.2 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Classes as taught during the one selected period in each school on the day of the census in January. (3 )Includes reception classes.  Source:  School Census

Primary Education: Play

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the average time spent by children in Key Stage  (a) 1 and  (b) 2 on free play during the school day.

Kevin Brennan: I have made no estimate of the average time spent by children in Key Stages 1 and 2 on free play during the school day. This is a matter for individual schools to decide and data about their choices are not collected by this Department.
	There is no prescription over how much time is spent teaching the primary national curriculum, provided that all the statutory content is covered during each Key Stage. Head teachers are free to design their own timetables and, once they are satisfied that they are meeting the statutory requirements of the national curriculum, they have the freedom to introduce other experiences and subjectssuch as free playto meet the needs and aspirations of their pupils.

Primary Education: Public Participation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in what circumstances local education authorities may be exempt from new legislation requiring that a competition consultation phase be held for all new primary schools.

Jim Knight: Under section 7 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, competitions are required for all new primary schools, including a statutory period of consultation, unless the Secretary of State has given his consent under section 10 of the Act for proposals to be published outside a competition.
	Applications for consent are considered on their individual merits, taking into account the particular circumstances in each case. Guidance issued by the Department confirms that consent may be given to applications to establish a new primary school to replace closing infant and junior schools, and also to applications to establish a new school with a religious character to replace closing schools with the same character. The guidance also sets out the principal factors that will be considered for each application as follows: the contribution the school would make to local diversity; local standards; the prospect of other proposer interest; the urgency for the school to be in place; and any views expressed by interested parties.

Private Education

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  when he will publish the findings of his consultation on the transfer of responsibility for the regulation and registration of independent schools and non-maintained special schools;
	(2)  in respect of which independent schools his Department has concerns on governance and management;
	(3)  how many officials work in his Department's independent schools team.

Jim Knight: The analysis of responses to the consultation on the transfer of responsibility for the regulation and registration of independent and non-maintained special schools will be published within the next few weeks.
	There is currently no regulatory standard relating to governance and management in independent schools and we do not therefore have details available in the format requested. However, failures to meet many of the regulatory standards often stem from systemic failures in management and leadership.
	There are currently 18.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) posts in the Department's independent education and boarding team.

Pupils: Diabetes

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department has considered issuing guidance to local education authorities on best practice by schools in the management of diabetes among pupils.

Jim Knight: This Department has already issued guidance entitled Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Setting.
	This guidance, published in 2005 jointly with the Department of Health, specifically addresses what schools can do to help children with diabetes and other medical conditions. We also produced sister guidance in the same year, entitled Including me: managing complex health needs in schools and early years settings.

Pupils: Discipline

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to improve discipline in the classroom.

Kevin Brennan: The proportion of schools judged by Ofsted to have inadequate standards of behaviour is at a historic low. But pupils' behaviour can be challenging, so we are implementing a major national programme to strengthen schools' capacity in this crucial area. This includes:
	giving schools access to high-quality behaviour management training materials and consultancy, curriculum materials to help develop pupils' social and emotional skills and practical guidance on dealing with bullying;
	providing extra funding for schools facing the greatest behaviour challenges;
	reinforcing the legal basis of school discipline by giving school staff a clear statutory power to discipline pupils;
	helping schools form partnerships with other schools to strengthen behaviour management;
	reinforcing parental responsibility by enabling schools and local authorities to make parenting contracts and seek court-imposed parenting orders relating to children's behaviour; and
	giving school staff a statutory power to search pupils for weapons and encouraging schools to become involved in Safer Schools Partnerships, which place police officers on school premises.
	In addition, Ofsted have issued new guidance to inspectors providing rigorous descriptors of outstanding, good, satisfactory and inadequate standards of behaviour. Inspectors will mark down any school where a significant proportion of lessons is affected by low-level disruption.

Pupils: Exercise

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of pupils in each London borough took part in two hours or more physical exercise during the school day in each week in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The annual national school sport survey has been running for the past four years, but the survey has only collected data by local authority since 2004-05.
	The following table sets out the percentage of pupils in each local authority taking part in at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport in a typical week for the last three years. Direct comparisons between local authorities are not appropriate as the number of schools in school sport partnerships, and the length of time they have been within partnerships, differs. Since September 2006, all maintained schools in England are within a school sport partnership.
	
		
			  Percentage of pupils taking part in two hours high quality PE and sport by London boroughs 
			   Two hour take-up 
			  London  b orough  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 Barking and Dagenham 55 58 80 
			 Barnet 80 84 82 
			 Bexley 70 75 86 
			 Brent 64 81 83 
			 Bromley 76 82 88 
			 Camden 69 72 82 
			 Croydon 61 70 82 
			 Ealing 66 88 89 
			 Enfield 72 77 87 
			 Greenwich 71 73 78 
			 Hackney 49 67 84 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 51 62 88 
			 Haringey 54 80 89 
			 Harrow 72 72 84 
			 Havering 71 74 81 
			 Hillingdon 61 75 82 
			 Hounslow 76 78 82 
			 Islington 58 75 88 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 50 74 88 
			 Kingston upon Thames 76 69 82 
			 Lambeth 83 89 82 
			 Lewisham 66 71 89 
			 Merton 60 84 87 
			 Newham 79 86 91 
			 Redbridge 76 76 80 
			 Richmond upon Thames 80 86 91 
			 Southwark 67 72 87 
			 Sutton 59 75 88 
			 Tower Hamlets 60 62 81 
			 Waltham Forest 69 63 87 
			 Wandsworth 72 88 89 
			 Westminster 55 72 87

Pupils: Exercise

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of pupils took part in at least two hours of high quality physical education and school sport each week in each year from 1995-96 to 2004-05; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: The annual PE and School Sport Survey was introduced in 2003/04 and collects data relating to participation in PE and school sport. The percentage of pupils who took part in at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport each week is as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 2003/04 62 
			 2004/05 69 
		
	
	Since 2004/05, the figures have increased further, so that the 2006/07 survey found that 86 per cent. of pupils take part in at least two hours of high quality PE and school sport a week. Prior to 2003/04, no data was collected relating to the amount of time spent on PE and school sport.

School Leaving

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will commission research on the likely effect of his policy of extending compulsory education to 18 years on the demand for capacity in  (a) secondary schools,  (b) stand alone vocational training establishments and  (c) further education colleges.

Jim Knight: We were already planning on the basis of our existing aspiration for 90 per cent. participation among 17-year-olds by 2015. With compulsory participation, our modelling suggests that, nationally, this does not require a big expansion of places. We estimate that there will be around 15,000 more 16 and 17-year-olds in schools in 2015 than there are this year and all of this growth is accounted for by the already planned growth in academies, most of which will have sixth forms. In FE, we estimate that in 2013 13,000 additional places will be needed compared to this year, and in 2015 another 31,000 will be needed. We are not planning to commission any further research at this stage. Demographic changes will vary between local areas and local authorities will need to use their own projections to plan accordingly.

School Meals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he expects to determine whether his Department has met its March 2008 target for take-up of school lunches; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: In 2008, the SFT will undertake its third annual survey of school lunch take-up, and this will show if the target has been achieved.
	Increasing the take-up of school lunches remains a priority for this Department and for the School Food Trust (SFT).

Schools: Carbon Emissions

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the Government are taking to support schools in reaching targets of zero carbon emissions.

Kevin Brennan: The Children's Plan, published in December 2007, set an ambition for all new school buildings to be zero carbon by 2016. A task force will be appointed to advise on how to achieve this ambition.
	We are taking action now to reduce carbon emissions in new school buildings while we work towards zero carbon. About 200 projects in buildings schools for the future and the academies programme will benefit from an additional investment of 110 million over the next three years, with the intention of reducing carbon emissions by around 60 per cent. We have published guidance on the energy efficiency and renewable energy measures that can be applied to meet the target reduction.
	These initiatives support our wider aim for all schools to be sustainable schools by 2020.

Schools: Closures

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether local education authorities are obliged to consult interested parties before deciding to close schools.

Jim Knight: Yes. Local authorities (LAs) are required by section 16 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 to consult such persons as appear to them to be appropriate, having regard to guidance given by the Secretary of State. Guidance states that the Secretary of State considers that the interested parties who should be consulted include: the governing body; pupils; families of pupils; teachers and other staff and the trade unions who represent them at the school and at other schools who may be affected; MPs whose constituencies include the school or other schools that may be affected; the local parish or district council; other LAs who may be affected such as neighbouring authorities where there is cross-border movement of pupils; the local diocesan authority if the school has a religious character; any trust or foundation that provides the school; and any other interested party.
	Where a rural primary school is proposed for closure section 16(1) places a statutory duty on the LA to consult parents of registered pupils, the district and parish councils and for any rural special schools, any LA that maintains an SEN statement for a pupil at the school and any other persons that appear to be appropriate.

Schools: Closures

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many school closures occurred in the Essex Local Education Authority in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: The numbers of schools closed in Essex local authority in each of the last five years are given in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of schools closed 
			 2002 5 
			 2003 7 
			 2004 3 
			 2005 1 
			 2006 2 
			 2007 6 
			 Total 24 
		
	
	Schools can be closed for a number of reasons including: to meet demographic changes (population decline); as part of an amalgamation; to allow a Fresh Start school to replace a school in special measures; to allow a school with a religious character to replace a school without a religious character; or as part of another type of local reorganisation.

Schools: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what the average percentage change to the devolved formula capital grant awarded to modernised schools was in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what the expected percentage change to the devolved formula capital grant awarded to modernised schools will be in each of the next 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Devolved Formula Capital grant (DFC) has been paid to schools each year since 2000-01. The distinction between modernised schools and schools not yet modernised comes into effect from 2008-09.
	The following table sets out the absolute and percentage changes in DFC allocations from 2001-02 to 2007-08.
	
		
			million  Percentage change  Percentage change cumulative 
			 2001-02 294 (1 )(17) (1 )(17) 
			 2002-03 438 49 37 
			 2003-04 681 56 93 
			 2004-05 777 14 107 
			 2005-06 782 1 108 
			 2006-07 957 22 129 
			 2007-08 998 4 133 
			 (1 )reduction 
		
	
	While the overall trend is sharply up, there are significant differences in the percentage change year-on-year. These are caused by a number of factors which cannot be easily separated out. These are  (a) changes in total pupil population  (b) changes in the size of individual schools  (c) changes in the total number of schools  (d) increases in the formulaic allocation rates per school  (d) abatement of DFC for schools in the Building Schools for the Future programme.
	The rate of DFC per modernised school for the years 2008-09 to 2010-11 remains the same as for 2007-08. Future years from 2011-12 have not yet been allocated funding. DFC can be combined with other local authority funding, in accordance with local authority asset management plans. Excluding DFC, other local authority formulaic allocations made so far for the next spending review period are 1,659 million in 2008-09, 2,311 million in 2009-10, and 2,932 million in 2010-11.

Schools: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he expects schools and local authorities to take when their devolved formula capital grant allocation does not meet the estimated costs repair and maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Devolved Formula Capital (DFC) allocations are allocated direct to schools for capital improvement, determined at school level. It cannot be used for a revenue purpose. Normal repair and maintenance is a revenue expense, to be paid out of revenue allocations.
	When planning to spend DFC, schools should discuss with local authorities what local authorities plan to spend on schools from their formulaic capital allocations. Where necessary, DFC can be combined with these other allocations, also any other funds raised locally, to ensure that total capital expenditure meets schools' needs.

Schools: Mergers

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many school mergers occurred within the Essex local education authority in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: Since January 2003, there have been nine school mergers within the Essex local authority, all of which comprise an infant and junior closing with a replacement primary school opening in their place. These are set out, by year, in the following table:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2003 3 
			 2004 1 
			 2005 1 
			 2006 1 
			 2007 3 
			 Total 9

Schools: Milton Keynes

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the funding required to provide the additional school places, whether through new school provision or extension of existing schools, identified as necessary by Milton Keynes council to meet the current and future needs of the local population.

Jim Knight: No estimate has been made by the Department of the capital funding required to provide the additional new places identified by Milton Keynes local authority to meet the current and future needs of the local population, because the detailed information required to make such calculations is held locally. It is for each local authority to prioritise total capital allocations from the Department, and other capital resources available locally, between new pupil places and existing schools. In addition to the capital allocations already made, the Basic Need Safety Valve is designed to help those few authorities where there is exceptional pupil growth for the period 2008-09 to 2010-11, and its allocation takes account of the cost of new pupil places.
	So far as revenue funding through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is concerned, additional pupils in schools in Milton Keynes, as elsewhere, are counted in the January preceding the start of the financial year for which the allocation is made. Any revenue start up costs for new schools are met from each local authority's allocation of DSG.
	Where an authority experiences an increase in pupil numbers between January and September in any year of more than 2.5 per cent. they will be eligible for exceptional circumstances grant, full details of which are available of the Department website at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/docbank/index.cfm?id=11544 document 9, Paragraph 40.

Schools: Public Participation

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which interested parties are eligible to make proposals during the newly introduced competition consultation phase for all new schools.

Jim Knight: Any person or body is free to bring forward proposals for a new school in response to a local authority's invitation to bid in a competition. We would particularly welcome proposals from local parents' groups, other successful schools and universities, the charitable arms of businesses and other voluntary groups, or combinations of these drawing on the strengths of each. We would also welcome proposals from faith groups where there is demand from parents for a faith based education.

Schools: Standards

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools have been categorised as  (a) requiring significant improvement and  (b) being in special measures in each term since May 1997; and which schools in each local authority were in each category at the latest date for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for Ofsted. HMCI Christine Gilbert will write to the hon. Member and place a copy in the Library of both Houses.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 17 December 2007:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	Table A below shows the number of schools that have been placed in special measures during each term from autumn 1997 to the end of summer term 2007. Table B lists the schools which are considered to require significant improvement (see explanation below). The numbers shown are for schools going into the categories each term, rather than a running total of those in the categories at any given time. The data provided runs from the autumn term rather than May 1997, because data that is collated by Ofsted is in full terms and complete academic years.
	Please note that in September 2005, the inspection cycle was changed to three years and a new category of 'Notice to improve' was introduced, covering all schools considered to require significant improvement. These are schools which are performing significantly less well than they might reasonably be expected to given their circumstances. A school which is currently failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, but has the capacity to improve, will also be in this category.
	Prior to September 2005 there were three categories of schools requiring significant improvement: 'Serious Weaknesses', 'Underachieving' and 'Inadequate Sixth Forms'. These categories are similar, although not identical, to the 'Notice to Improve' category insofar as they encompass all aspects of inadequacy not covered by 'Special Measures'. All schools in these categories have since been re-inspected under the revised Section 5 inspections framework.
	Statistics showing schools in each local authority that are now in each category (up to 31 August 2007) can be found on the Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk, in the Publications and ResearchStatistics section. These are very large documents, and best viewed online.
	The school lists on these pages are produced each term. The data changes daily and some of the schools that have been placed in categories this term are still going through the moderation process and so their categorisation has not yet been published. The schools lists and data for the autumn term 2007 will be published on the Ofsted website at the end of January 2008.
	A copy of this letter has been sent to Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners and will be placed in the library of both Houses.
	
		
			  Table A: Schools placed in special measures in each term from autumn 1997 to summer 2007 
			   Primary  Secondary  Special  PRUs  Nursery  Total 
			 Autumn 1997 81 13 9 2 0 105 
			 Spring 1998 48 17 4 2 0 71 
			 Summer 1998 81 13 20 1 0 115 
			 Autumn 1998 60 14 7 1 0 82 
			 Spring 1999 43 4 4 1 1 53 
			 Summer 1999 38 11 6 4 0 59 
			 Autumn 1999 60 13 5 1 0 79 
			 Spring 2000 70 15 6 4 0 95 
			 Summer 2000 38 10 5 3 0 56 
			 Autumn 2000 35 8 1 3 0 47 
			 Spring 2001 27 11 6 1 0 45 
			 Summer 2001 38 4 2 1 0 45 
			 Autumn 2001 36 4 6 1 0 47 
			 Spring 2002 30 14 2 3 0 49 
			 Summer 2002 26 1 3 2 1 33 
			 Autumn 2002 36 12 5 1 0 54 
			 Spring 2003 38 16 4 5 0 63 
			 Summer 2003 25 7 9 2 0 43 
			 Autumn 2003 56 30 2 2 0 90 
			 Spring 2004 46 21 8 3 0 78 
			 Summer 2004 28 10 3 4 0 45 
			 Autumn 2004 20 17 4 1 0 42 
			 Spring 2005 11 11 1 0 0 23 
			 Summer 2005 24 9 4 1 0 38 
			 Autumn 2005 57 16 0 1 0 74 
			 Spring 2006 36 11 2 10 0 59 
			 Summer 2006 24 5 0 2 0 31 
			 Autumn 2006 62 10 6 4 0 82 
			 Spring 2007 30 13 3 2 0 48 
			 Summer 2007 45 7 2 1 0 55 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Schools requiring significant improvement in each term from autumn 2005 to summer 2007 
			   Primary  Secondary  Special  PRU  Total 
			 Autumn 2005 73 43 1 3 120 
			 Spring 2006 77 42 0 6 125 
			 Summer 2006 57 11 2 3 73 
			 Autumn 2006 78 30 1 3 112 
			 Spring 2007 49 34 2 2 87 
			 Summer 2007 48 12 2 4 66

Secondary Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of qualifications awarded at Key Stage 3 in each of the last three years has been  (a) academic and  (b) vocational; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information required is in the following table.
	
		
			   2004/05  2005/06  2006/07( 1) 
			 Percentage of qualifications awarded that were academic(2) 95.8 94.9 94.4 
			 Percentage of qualifications awarded that were vocational(3) 4.2 5.1 5.6 
			 Total number of qualifications awarded 5,656,255 5,800,244 5,469,728 
			 (1) Figures for 2006/07 are provisional. Schools get the opportunity to amend their results before the revised data is published in January 2008. (2) Academic qualifications include: GCSEs, GCSE short courses, entry level qualifications, key skills, basic skills and AS levels. (3) Vocational qualifications include: vocational GCSEs, GNVQs, VRQs, NVQs, NVQ language units and vocational AS levels.  Note: These figures relate to all pupils at the end of key stage 4.

Secondary Education: Closures

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make it his policy to impose a moratorium on secondary school closures until he has assessed the likely increased demand on secondary school places resulting from the extension of full-time education to 18 years; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: School place planning is the statutory responsibility of local authorities (LAs) and the Secretary of State has no role. It is for each LA to determine whether to propose the closure of a secondary school and the final decision will be taken by the LA in most cases. An appeal to the schools adjudicator can be made in specific cases. Our modelling suggests that introducing compulsory participation for 16-year-olds in 2013 and 17-year-olds in 2015, does not require a big expansion of places. We estimate that there will be around 15,000 more 16 and 17-year-olds in schools in 2015 than there are this year and all of this growth is accounted for by the already planned growth in academies, most of which will have sixth forms. In FE, we estimate that in 2013 13,000 additional places will be needed compared to this year, and in 2015 another 31,000 will be needed. Demographic changes will vary between local areas and local authorities will need to use their own projections to plan accordingly.

Specialised Diplomas: Assessments

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment and examination arrangements will be used to assess student attainment in  (a) the foundation diploma and  (b) the higher diploma; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The diploma is a composite qualification made up of new and existing qualifications and therefore a variety of approaches will be used to assess student achievement at all levels. Assessment and examinations arrangements will be appropriate to the nature of the learning being undertaken, rigorous, reliable and fair.
	Given the applied nature of the diploma, there will be a strong emphasis on controlled internal assessment, as well as external testing. The National Assessment Agency are currently working closely with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to develop a standardised approach to controlled internal assessment, to ensure the professional expertise of local assessors and set standards for high quality, rigorous assessment practice.
	The diploma is graded at all levels. To achieve the overall diploma qualification, students will need to pass all components within the diploma, including the functions skills and additional and specialist learning, much of which is exam-based and externally assessed. Awarding Bodies have set out requirements for assessment and examination arrangements both for the new components of the diploma qualification (i.e. principal learning and project) and for existing qualifications that make-up the diploma.

Sure Start Programme: Finance

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent discussions he has had with Kent county council (KCC) on its ring-fenced funding for Sure Start; whether his Department and KCC have agreed that funding; and what mechanisms are in place to ensure that KCC spends that funding in accordance with criteria set down by his Department.

Beverley Hughes: My officials wrote to local authorities in August this year giving details of the ringfenced Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant (formerly the General Sure Start Grant) for the next three financial years. The letter explained that the grant contained ringfenced funding that must be used for
	services in Sure Start Local Programmes (SSLPs), and centres based on SSLPs, and cannot be used for new children's centres.
	I had previously discussed funding levels for SSLPs with Kent county council (KCC) and the hon. Member for Sittingbourne and Sheppey in July in advance of these allocations being made. In December there was a conversation between a senior official in my Department and KCC in which it was confirmed that funding remains ringfenced to be used for SSLPs and children's centres based on SSLPs. The Grant has not yet been formally offered or accepted. A Memorandum of Grant will be issued to KCC for signature before the start of the next financial year that will set out the conditions attached to the Grant including details of the financial information that KCC are required to send to my Department. In addition the Sure Start, Early Years and Childcare Grant is audited annually by auditors appointed by the Audit Commission and audit returns are passed to my Department.

Teachers: Enfield

Joan Ryan: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many  (a) primary and  (b) secondary school teachers were employed in the London Borough of Enfield in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Knight: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of regular teachers employed in Enfield local authority maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in each January between 1998 and 2007, the latest information available.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent regular teachers in local authority maintained schools in Enfield local authority, January of each year 
			   Nursery and primary  Secondary 
			 1998 1,140 1,310 
			 1999 1,130 1,350 
			 2000 1,270 1,300 
			 2001 1,180 1,310 
			 2002 1,300 1,250 
			 2003 1,270 1,430 
			 2004 1,300 1,460 
			 2005 1,310 1,520 
			 2006 1,350 1,560 
			 2007 1,370 1,550 
			  Source: Annual survey of teachers in service and teacher vacancies, form 618g.

Teachers: Pay

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what discussions he has had with CEA and the District Auditor on Islington teachers' salaries for the year 2003-04, notably their pension liabilities and related fiscal risks to the Government; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Secretary of State has not held any discussions with CEA or the District Auditor about Islington teachers' salaries or pension liabilities and related fiscal risks to the Government for the year 2003-04. For the year in question, the District Auditor provided an unqualified certification in respect of the pension contributions payable to the Teachers' Pension Scheme relating to teachers in Islington.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Departmental Travel: Brussels

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much his Department and its predecessor spent on Eurostar tickets to Brussels in each of the last 11 years.

Gareth Thomas: Details of the amount spent by BERR, and previously by DTI, are only available for the period from June 2002 to date.
	
		
			   
			 June - December 2002 289,185 
			 January - December 2003 529,566 
			 January - December 2004 493,277 
			 January - December 2005 624,281 
			 January - December 2006 452,617 
			 January 2007 to date 389,186

Christmas

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether it is his Department's policy to use  (a) incandescent light bulbs and  (b) LED lights for festive decorations on departmental premises.

Gareth Thomas: My Department uses incandescent lights for its festive decorations at the moment.

Christmas

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what his Department's policy is on the selection of  (a) real and  (b) artificial Christmas trees for his Department 's festive decorations; and how real trees are disposed of.

Gareth Thomas: My Department has four Christmas Trees on its Estate. Two of these trees are real and are recycled by our foliage company. One of the artificial trees is reused each year. The other artificial tree is hired from our foliage company and returned to them at the end of the hire period.

Defence Export Services Organisation: Manpower

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff were employed by the Defence Export Services Organisation; how many of those have been transferred to UK Trade and Investment; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: At the end of November 2007 the Defence Exports Services Organisation had 445 staff. When transferred to UK Trade and Investment on 1 April 2008, it will initially comprise approximately 240 posts.

Departmental Aviation

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much has been spent by his Department on international flights since it was established.

Gareth Thomas: Since 1999 the Government have published a list of all overseas travel by Cabinet Ministers costing over 500. Information for the last financial year was published on 25 July 2007. Details for the current financial year will be published as soon as possible after the end of the financial year. From next year, the list will include details of overseas visits undertaken by all Ministers. All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code.
	Information in respect of flights taken by officials could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Correspondence

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when the Minister for Postal Affairs will reply to the letter sent by Councillor Charles Kennedy of East Dunbartonshire Council on Kirkintilloch Post Office.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 7 January 2008
	 We believe that the last letter Councillor Kennedy wrote to this Department on Kirkintilloch Post Office was dated 20 April. We replied on 3 May.

Departmental Manpower

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) EU foreign nationals and  (b) non-EU foreign nationals are employed by his Department.

Gareth Thomas: The information is not easily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Parliamentary Questions

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many staff work in his Department's parliamentary branch; and what proportion of their time is spent on dealing with  (a) parliamentary questions and  (b) correspondence from hon. Members and Peers.

Gareth Thomas: Three members of staff in the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform parliamentary unit work full-time dealing with parliamentary questions and it is estimated that the head and deputy head of the unit spend a combined 20 per cent. of their time on parliamentary questions when the House sits. Other staff within the Department handle correspondence work from hon. Members and Peers.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the Winter Supplementary Estimates (HC 29), if he will break down his Department's  (a) main estimate and  (b) winter supplementary estimate provision by subhead in (i) near cash and (ii) non-cash terms.

Gareth Thomas: The total non cash included in the main estimate for the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform was 225,378k and in the winter supplementary estimate, 293,636k. The breakdown between the near and non cash figures is included in the Part II Resource to cash reconciliation.
	All expenditure on the main estimate for RfR2 was near cash; the breakdown of the RfRl resource expenditure subheads between near cash and non cash is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Sub head  Main estimate near cash (i) '000  Main estimate non cash (ii) '000  Winter supplementary estimate near cash (i) '000  Winter supplementary estimate non cash (ii) '000 
			 A1 498 7,401   
			 A2 266,157 32,455   
			 A3 23,189 4,977 11,206  
			 B2 118,502  126,280  
			 B3 37,791 555 40,553 555 
			 C2 5,438  5,438  
			 C3 1,109  1,109  
			 D2 20,135  11,719  
			 D3 69,800  69,800  
			 E2 35,492 36,955 35,737 36,955 
			 E3 15,950 54,502 20,246 34,502 
			 F2 950  950  
			 F3 33,000  28,233  
			 G1 33,546 382 33,546 382 
			 H2 55,992 1,760 53,135 1,760 
			 H3 80  80  
			 I1 10,582  22,011  
			 I2 96,504  165,056 14,600 
			 I3  1,631  1,631 
			 J1 4,933  4,933  
			 J2 401,790 -10,054 467,441 -10,054 
			 J3 2,365 17,143 2,365 22,543 
			 K2 191  191  
			 K3 51,200  55,200  
			 L1 251,247 14,312 258,058 21,713 
			 L2 6,657 305 6,657 28,595 
			 L3 5,211  5,211  
			 M3 4,191
			 N3 391,184  391,184  
			 O3 35,000  35,000  
			 P2 68,000 48,421  125,821 
			 P3  14,633  14,633 
			 Q3 2,263  2,567  
			 R3 38,311  38,311  
			 S3 10,700  10,700  
			 T3 6,500
			 U3 1,841,472  1,799,482  
			 V3 392  2,010  
			 W3 1,875,171  3,091,032  
			 X3 3,000  3,000  
			 Total 5,824,493 225,378 6,798,441 293,636

Departmental Recycling

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what recycling schemes are in operation in each building operated by his Department.

Gareth Thomas: My Department currently recycles paper, card, plastic, cans, and toners at the following buildings on our HQ Estate; 1 Victoria Street, Kingsgate House, Westfield House, St. Mary's House and Atholl House.
	Additionally batteries are recycled at 1 Victoria Street, Kingsgate House and Atholl House.
	Glass recycling has recently been added to 1 Victoria Street.

Departmental Redundancy

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cost was of redundancies in his Department in the 12 months preceding  (a) 30 June 2004,  (b) 30 June 2005 and  (c) 30 June 2006.

Gareth Thomas: Details of the costs of redundancies (including voluntary early retirements and severance) of staff leaving the former DTI (now the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) are not readily available in the format requested for the 12 month periods preceding  (a) 30 June 2004 and  (b) 30 June 2005 and the cost of preparing the answer would be disproportionate.
	However the cost of voluntary departures for the period from April 2005 to June 2005 was 1.37 million and for the period July 2005 to June 2006 was 3.25 million.

Energy

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much was spent on legal costs associated with the judicial review of the energy review process.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government's legal fees incurred with respect to the Greenpeace judicial review were around 81,000. However, this does not include the costs of Greenpeace, which remain the subject of discussion, or of Government consideration of the amount of those costs.

Energy

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of whether his Department will reach the target of 15 per cent. improvement in energy efficiency by 2010.

Gareth Thomas: Since 1999 my Department has made progress in energy efficiency by reducing the size of the property estate space by 46 per cent. with a decrease of 11.2 per cent. in energy consumption.
	BERR will make further energy efficiency improvements by 2010.

Energy

Mark Prisk: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what improvements his Department made in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07 towards the 15 per cent. improvement in energy efficiency by 2010.

Gareth Thomas: BERR are working toward achieving the energy efficiency targets expressed in the Sustainable Operations on the Government Estate (SOGE) framework. The targets set are to improve the energy efficiency of the buildings on the estate by 15 per cent in terms of KWH usage and that used per square metre by 2010-11.
	The main strategy to improve energy efficiency is to reduce the physical size of the estate and the number of buildings. As a result the BERR estate has been reduced by 46 per cent with a decrease of 11.2 per cent in energy consumption since 1999 to 2000. This included the introduction of flexible desking throughout our main buildings on the basis of eight work stations for every 10 staff.
	The Department has also implemented a number of energy efficiency initiatives since the target was published. In 1 Victoria Street this included a number of energy efficiency projects to improve lighting and environmental controls as well as occupant awareness. The Department has also undertaken a study into the use of localised micro-generation of energy on the estate. Energy efficiency is taken into account in any estate project undertaken and has included the introduction of energy minimising technology within the recent IT systems refresh.

Engineering: Research

Bill Olner: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much the Government are proposing to spend on engineering research in  (a) 2008,  (b) 2009 and  (c) 2010.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), funded by the Government through the Science budget, invests in high-quality basic, strategic and applied research and related postgraduate training to maintain and develop a strong research base in engineering and the physical sciences; and to promote future economic development and an improved quality of life in the UK.
	EPSRC has provided 257 million to support engineering research in 2007-08. This is expected to rise to 271 million in 2008-09, 277 million in 2009-10 and 284 million in 2010-11, depending on the quality of proposals received by EPSRC.

EU Grants and Loans

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much and what proportion of the structural funds allocated to the UK under the 2000 to 2006 EC financial perspective have been paid out to date.

Stephen Timms: To the end of December 2007, approximately 9.5 billion of the United Kingdom's structural funds allocations under the 2000-06 financial perspective has been spent (paid to projects). This is some 83 per cent. of the overall allocation of approximately 11 billion. Expenditure by these structural funds programmes continues until 31 December 2008.

Exports: Renewable Energy

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the future export potential of each sector of the UK renewables industry.

Malcolm Wicks: My Department has not made any such estimate. However, the Government published 'UK Energy Excellence: an International Marketing Strategy for the UK's Energy Business' for the UK's energy sector (which includes renewables) on 17 December 2007. This is available from BERR's website at:
	https://www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk/ukti/fileDownload/UKEnergyExcellenceBrochure.pdf?cid=412811.

Inward Investment

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much inward investment was made to the UK for each 1 spent on attracting inward investment by UK Trade and Investment in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Gareth Thomas: We welcome the capital invested in the UK by foreign-owned companies. However, we do not collect comprehensive data about it. This is because we are seeking to attract companies in knowledge-driven sectors that bring in new technologies or management methods, so as to improve the UK's competitiveness and productivity over the long term. Injections of capital, though important, are less sustainable.

Minimum Wage

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many London-based staff are employed by his Department on the national minimum wage.

Gareth Thomas: Across the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, there are no London-based staff who are employed on the national minimum wage.

Mining: Sports

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what meetings he has had with ministerial colleagues on the effect of the development of miners' welfares for participation in sports.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 17 December 2007
	I have had no such meetings.

New Businesses

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the number of new  (a) small and  (b) medium-sized businesses started up in (i) Jarrow constituency, (ii) South Tyneside, (iii) the North East and (iv) England in each year since 1997.

Stephen Timms: VAT registration data provide the only accurate indicator of the level of business start-up activity.
	The number of new VAT registrations in Jarrow, South Tyneside, the North East and England are shown in the table for 1997 to 2006, alongside the total number of VAT registered businesses at the start of each year. Data for registrations and de-registrations in 2007 will be available autumn 2008.
	Although only data for businesses of all sizes registered for VAT is published by BERR, it is estimated that the majority (97.9 per cent.) of these will be small (with fewer than 50 employees) and 1.7 per cent. will be medium-sized (with 50-249 employees).
	
		
			  New VAT registrations and start of year stock of VAT registered businesses 
			   New registrations  Start of year stock 
			   England  North East  South Tyneside  Jarrow  England  North East  South Tyneside  Jarrow 
			 1997 159,935 4,060 190 105 1,379,260 42,455 1,690 935 
			 1998 160,360 4,105 185 95 1,414,080 42,720 1,715 945 
			 1999 155,630 4,185 195 100 1,449,995 43,170 1,765 975 
			 2000 157,815 4,275 175 100 1,478,330 43,680 1,815 980 
			 2001 149,460 4,180 185 100 1,503,765 44,335 1,810 980 
			 2002 155,770 4,390 205 115 1,521,285 44,520 1,830 990 
			 2003 168,250 4,900 235 115 1,541,155 45,100 1,845 1,000 
			 2004 160,565 4,460 195 100 1,574,270 46,240 1,900 1,020 
			 2005 158,995 4,665 195 110 1,602,230 47,085 1,945 1,050 
			 2006 159,315 4,630 210 125 1,635,845 48,280 1,990 1,090 
			 2007 1,670,500 49,435 2,050 1,130 
			  Source:  Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations in 2006 available at: http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/vat/index.htm 
		
	
	Although the number of new registrations has fluctuated over the period, the total number of VAT registered businesses in Jarrow, South Tyneside, the North East and England has increased.
	In Jarrow, the total number of VAT registered businesses has increased from 935 at the start of 1997 to 1,130 at the start of 2007, an increase of 195 (21 per cent.).
	The total number of VAT registered businesses in South Tyneside has increased from 1,690 at the start of 1997 to 2,050 at the start of 2007, an increase of 360 (21 per cent.).

Post Offices

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many post offices there are in each parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom.

Patrick McFadden: Post Office Ltd. annually places in the Libraries of the House a list of all post offices in the network by parliamentary constituency. The list gives post office name, post town and post code.

Post Offices: Closures

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what the length of the Government's outstanding lease on the Post Office building on Kerr Street, Kirkintilloch is;
	(2)  what procedures there are to deal with outstanding leases remaining on Government properties that have been vacated following closures of post office branches.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer s 7 January 2008
	 This is an operational matter for Post Office Ltd. (POL). I have therefore asked Alan Cook, Managing Director of POL, to reply direct to the hon. Member.
	Copies of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Post Offices: Closures

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what instructions his Department gave to Royal Mail on announcing details of Post Office closures in the month during the run up to the 2008 local elections in England and Wales.

Patrick McFadden: The normal purdah arrangements, set out in Cabinet Office guidance which has been observed by successive administrations of both parties for many years, take effect every year during local elections. The guidance clearly states that consultations should not be launched, and decisions relating to them announced, in an election period. This will apply to post office closure proposals and decisions from 7 April to 2 May in respect of the local elections to be held in England and Wales on 1 May 2008.

Postal Services

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the proportion of stamps which remained unfranked by the Royal Mail's mail management systems in 2006-07; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: holding answer 7 January 2008
	This is an operational matter for which Royal Mail has direct responsibility. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive of Royal Mail, Adam Crozier, to provide a direct reply to the hon. Member. A copy of the response will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Regional Development Agencies: Trade Unions

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what grants were given by each regional development agency to trades unions in the last 24 months.

Stephen Timms: The following funding has been provided by RDAs to trade unions in the last 24 months:
	
		
			  RDAs  Grants (000)  Trade union  Project 
			 Advantage West Midlands 425 Unity Trade Union Work force development project, ensuring individuals subject to redundancy were aware of skills in demand in their local area. 
			 South East England Development Agency 3 National Farmers Union Sponsorship support for the International Association of Horticultural Producers Conference 2007. 
		
	
	The following funding has also been provided by RDAs in the last 24 months to the Trade Union Congress:
	
		
			  RDAs  Grants (000)  Project 
			 Advantage West Midlands 63 Improving workplace skills project 
			 London Development Agency 115 Diversity works project 
			 London Development Agency 216 Adult Learners Week fund 
			 One North East 150 Working together project, to help local companies raise their profile. 
			 South West Regional Development Agency 591 Learning Works for All project. To increase regional cohesion of union led workforce development. To complement and enhance Learn Direct in Swindon and implementation of a union academy 2006-2009. 
			 South West Regional Development Agency 28 Equality South West project, to support equal opportunities in the region. 
			 South West Regional Development Agency 3 Work force development project 
			 South West Regional Development Agency 3 Support for Food and Drink Conference 2007. 
			 Yorkshire Forward 67 Support to Yorkshire and Humber TUC to assist in the delivery of the regional economic strategy.

Regulatory Impact Assessments: Public Sector

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether impact assessments are required for legislation or regulation that imposes costs on public authorities, but not the private sector.

Patrick McFadden: Any proposal affecting costs in the public sector requires an impact assessment unless the costs fall beneath a pre-agreed threshold (generally 5 million) and the proposal is not likely to attract high levels of political or media interest. In cases where costs are small and there is limited interest, only a developmental/option stage impact assessment is necessary.
	The official guidance on impact assessments, which was revised in the spring of 2007, is available at http://bre.berr.gov.uk/regulation/documents/ia/iag.pdf

Renewable Energy

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate his Department has made of the contribution of plant development under the renewables obligation in providing despatchable capacity for the United Kingdom's electricity grid.

Malcolm Wicks: According to the latest available figures, up to end 2006 plant development under the RO had contributed 2046 MW of despatchable capacity (comprising generation from large and small hydro, co-firing, landfill gas, municipal solid waste combustion, sewage sludge digestion, and other biofuels and waste, but excluding wind and solar).

Renewable Energy

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate has been made of the likely system costs arising from the part-loading and increased maintenance of plant operating outside the balancing mechanism but affected by fluctuating power flows resulting from the renewables required to meet  (a) current renewable electricity targets and  (b) those likely to be required under the EU 20 per cent. renewables target for total primary energy.

Malcolm Wicks: This is an issue that is best directed at the generator companies themselves who may be able to provide specific information on costs. However, it seems likely that any additional maintenance costs incurred by conventional plant that is required to part-load or regulate its output will be reflected in the prices charged for reserve/balancing services. From work done by the UK Energy Research Council and others it is estimated that the balancing/reserve costs likely to be incurred in meeting the Government's current renewables target for 2010 would lie in the range of 0.2 to 2.9/MWh, which would equate to an increase in electricity prices of up to 0.06p/kWh.
	It is too early to estimate what proportion of the UK contribution to the EU 20 per cent. target will come from any particular source of renewable energy and the impact that might have in terms of increased part-loading or maintenance costs incurred by conventional plant. Agreement has not yet been reached on the contribution that each member state will make towards the 20 per cent. target, but we will consult in 2008 on policy options to meet the UK'S contribution and publish our full UK renewable energy strategy the following spring once the EU directive has been agreed.

Renewable Energy

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate has been made of the likely change in overall system costs due to network expansion to support renewables required to meet  (a) current renewable electricity targets and  (b) those targets likely to be required under the EU 20 per cent. renewables target for total primary energy; and how much of the likely costs are attributable to the (i) transmission and (ii) distribution system.

Malcolm Wicks: In terms of investment in the transmission system, Ofgem have agreed 560 million specifically to connect new renewable generation in Scotland and the North of England, which will contribute to the delivery of the Government's 2010 renewable targets. In addition, the current Transmission Price Control, which covers the five year period up to March 2012, allowed a further 3.8 billion of investment to cover network refurbishment and the costs of accommodating new generators of all types. The Transmission Price Control Review (TPCR) also provides flexible funding for the connection of additional generation in excess of that assumed in its base allowances. This flexible mechanism will provide funding for additional renewable generation, as it comes forward.
	Similarly, in terms of the distribution networks, Ofgem has sanctioned funding of some 5.7 billion over the five year period from 2005 to 2010 via the Electricity Distribution Price Control Review (EDPCR) to cover network refurbishment and development, including that associated with the connection of generation. The EDPCR also provides explicit schemes to help Government achieve their 2010 targets for renewable energy and for the connection of combined heat and power (CHP), including direct incentives for the connection of distributed generation and development of innovative connection schemes.
	Looking beyond the timescale of the current transmission price control, it is too early to estimate what proportion of the UK contribution to the EU 20 per cent. target will come from any particular source of renewable energy and what the implications might be for the transmission and distribution systems. Agreement has not yet been reached on the contribution that each member state will make towards the 20 per cent. target, but we will consult in 2008 on policy options to meet the UK's contribution and publish our full UK renewable energy strategy the following spring once the EU directive has been agreed.

Renewable Energy

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate has been made of the change in system balancing costs of adding the non-despatchable generators to the UK portfolio required to reach  (a) current renewable electricity targets and  (b) those targets likely to be required under the EU 20 per cent. renewables target.

Malcolm Wicks: It is estimated that the additional annual balancing costs that are likely to be incurred in meeting the Government's current renewables target for 2010 would lie in the range of 0.2 to 2.9/MWh, which would equate to an increase in electricity prices of up to 0.06p/kWh.
	It is too early to estimate what proportion of the UK contribution to the EU 20 per cent. target will come from any particular source of renewable energy and the impact that will have on overall balancing costs. Agreement has not yet been reached on the contribution that each member state will make towards the 20 per cent. target, but we will consult in 2008 on policy options to meet the UK'S contribution and publish our full UK renewable energy strategy the following spring once the EU directive has been agreed.

Renewable Energy

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether an estimate has been made of the likely effect of renewable generation supported by the renewables obligation on the thermal efficiency of gas-fired electricity generation.

Malcolm Wicks: No such estimate has been made.

Renewable Energy

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what meetings  (a) he and  (b) his Ministers have held with representatives of manufacturers of components for the renewables industry in the last 12 months.

Malcolm Wicks: There have not been any meetings between  (a) the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform or  (b) other BERR Ministers and representatives of manufacturers of components for the renewables industry in the last 12 months.
	However, BERR Ministers have had a number of meetings with representatives from the microgeneration industry, including trade associations and companies in the last 12 months.

Renewables Obligation

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps are being taken to reduce deadweight subsidy under the renewables obligation.

Malcolm Wicks: The document 'Reform of the Renewables Obligation'(1) sets out proposals to band the RO so more expensive renewable energy generation technologies, especially those at an earlier point in their development of technology and business model, are awarded more than projects in more economic technologies.
	It is estimated that these proposals should lead to a deadweight cost reduced by 3.4 billion compared to the current model.
	(1)http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39497.pdf

Renewables Obligation

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the deadweight subsidy provided by the renewables obligation since 2002; and how much he expects such deadweight subsidy to total in the period up to 2027 assuming the obligation is not revised.

Malcolm Wicks: There has been no estimate of the deadweight subsidy provided by the renewables obligation since 2002.
	If there are no changes to the current model the lifetime deadweight subsidy (defined as cost to the consumer less the resource cost) is estimated to be 9.1 billion. The assumptions on which this figure is based are set out in the report 'Reform of the renewables obligationwhat is the likely impact of changes'(1) which was published alongside the recent consultation.
	The changes proposed in the May 2007 consultation on 'Reform of the Renewables Obligation' are estimated to lead to a reduced deadweight cost of 3.4 billion compared to the current model.
	(1)http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39039.pdf

Renewables Obligation

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what his most recent estimate is of the cost to consumers of the renewables obligation in each year since 2002; and how much he expects it to be in each year until 2027.

Malcolm Wicks: We have not broken down the cost to consumers on an annual basis but the report 'Reform of the renewables obligationwhat is the likely impact of changes'(1), which was published alongside the May 2007 consultation on reform of the renewables obligation (RO), gives a lifetime cost to consumers of 23.7 billion under the current model and 25.1 billion under a banded RO.
	(1)http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39039.pdf

Renewables Obligation

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the internal rates of return accrued by developers of renewable energy electricity generation projects under the renewables obligation in the technology sectors.

Malcolm Wicks: No such estimate has been made. However, the report by Ernst and Young 'Impact of banding the Renewables Obligationcost of electricity production'(1) published alongside the May 2007 consultation on reform of the RO estimated the cost of capital likely to be required for projects using different technologies.
	(1)http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39038.pdf

Renewables Obligation

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps are being taken to limit the renewables obligation's cost to the consumer in circumstances where renewable technologies or developments cease to require support as a result of rising wholesale electricity prices or falling project capital expenditure.

Malcolm Wicks: Proposals to review bands were set out in the document 'Reform of the Renewables Obligation'(1).
	The criteria to be taken into account in reviewing bands set out in that document include consideration of the full project costs (including the costs of scoping, planning, construction, grid connection, transmission charges etc.) and incomes (for example, due to the wholesale price of electricity, the avoided cost of schemes such as the EU ETS, landfill tax and the climate change levy etc.).
	(1) http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39497.pdf

Renewables Obligation

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps are being taken to limit the renewables obligation's cost to consumers once targets are met.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government have a target that 10 per cent. of UK electricity should come from renewable sources by 2010, subject to costs to the consumer being acceptable, with an aspiration to double this by 2020. This target will be revised pending the outcome of discussions with the Commission and other member states over achievement of the EU target to supply 20 per cent. of Europe's energy from renewable sources by 2020.
	The UK is committed to implementing our share of this target in the most cost-effective way and will be consulting on policy measures to meet the target in 2008. The UK Renewable Energy Strategy will be published in spring 2009.
	The renewables obligation is set at 10.4 per cent. of electricity supply for 2010, and we have announced our intention to let the obligation increase to a level equivalent to 20 per cent. on a headroom basis. The level of the obligation is not the same as a target; the obligation is set at a level of electricity supply from renewable sources just above that which we expect the market to deliver. The cost to consumers is given by the size of the obligation multiplied by the buy-out price. In the event that supply from renewable sources exceeded the obligation in a given year, for instance because of weather conditions, this would not add to costs for consumers.

Renewables Obligation

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will estimate the effect on the balance of payments of imports of renewables development under the renewables obligation to date.

Malcolm Wicks: The value of imports related to renewables development since the introduction of the RO has not been recorded.

Renewables Obligation

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will estimate the likely effect on the balance of payments of imports arising in relation to renewables development under the renewables obligation in the period up to 2027.

Malcolm Wicks: We do not have the data necessary to make such predictions.

Renewables Obligation: Carbon Emissions

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the expected cost per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions avoided under the renewables obligation in  (a) 2010 and  (b) 2020.

Malcolm Wicks: No estimates have been made for the cost per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions avoided for specific years. This is because the carbon saved in a given year cannot be solely attributed to resource spent in that year.
	The report 'Reform of the renewables obligationwhat is the likely impact of changes'(1) which was published alongside the recent consultation on reform of the renewables obligation (RO) includes a figure for the cost effectiveness over the lifetime of the renewables obligation of 188/tC. In practice this represents an upper limit as investments under the RO may lead to continued emissions reductions beyond the RO's lifetime.
	(1 )http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39039.pdf

Renewables Obligation: Natural Gas

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimate he has made of the quantity of natural gas use avoided annually as a result of renewable developments under the renewables obligation  (a) to date and  (b) expected to be achieved by 2027.

Malcolm Wicks: No such estimates have been made.
	For illustrative purposes the Government have published comparisons of the amount of generation from renewables expressed in terms of the natural gas required to generate that amount.
	In 2006, renewables generation under the Renewables Obligation (RO) was approximately 14.5TWh. The amount of gas used in generating this amount of electricity would be approximately 2.8 million tonnes of oil equivalent. This amount of gas is approximately 3.1 per cent. of total natural gas used in 2006.
	The recent Energy White Paper projected around 52TWh electricity supply from renewables in 2020, including that brought about as a result of the RO. Based on projected typical gas-fired plant efficiency in 2020, the amount of gas used in generating this amount of electricity would be approximately 9 million tonnes of oil equivalent. This amount of gas is approximately 9.7 per cent. of the total projected natural gas use in 2020.

Small Businesses: North East Region

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps the Government are undertaking to promote small business start-up schemes among young people in the North East.

Stephen Timms: The Government's aim is to get a generation of young people to start thinking about the benefits of running their own business, and to recognise the positive impact that enterprising attitudes can have in every area of their lives.
	We are doing this by:
	Funding Enterprise Insight's Make Your Mark campaignwhich promotes enterprise to young people aged 14 to 30;
	Supporting the UK's annual Enterprise Week;
	Promoting enterprise education for Key Stage 4 (14 to 16 years) pupils in schools;
	Supporting the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship to promote business start-up as a viable alternative to working for somebody else.
	In the North East of England, funding to help make young people aware of business start-up opportunities is provided by One NorthEast This includes the Future Entrepreneurs programme, providing approximately 3 million from 2005/06 to 2007/08, which aims to deliver enterprise education to young people aged five to 30, together with those individuals who influence young people such as teachers and careers advisers.
	One NorthEast has also funded the Prince's Trustfor both their 'Business Skills for Young People' and 'Beyond the Label' activities. Since 2005 investment in Prince's Trust activity from One NorthEast has been approximately 950,000.
	Work is also under way to increase the capacity of universities in the region to support graduates with enterprise education and business start-up. Funding is available from One NorthEast to individual institutions, but is conditional on those institutions matching expenditure through their own Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) submissions. The total funding allocated to this programme is: 1,700,000 (2006/07), 2,500.000 (2007/08), and 2,500,000 (2008/09).
	As part of a larger Northern Way Project 117 secondary schools in the North East (both mainstream and special schools) have been directly funded. This has supported over 9,000 youngsters to date with more to come this school year. 1.3 million of Northern Way support has been awarded, with schools getting around 10,500 each to integrate enterprise into the curriculum.

Technology: Internet

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what steps the Government have taken to encourage web-based technology development in the UK since 1997;
	(2)  how much the Government have spent on promoting the web-based technology industry since 1997.

Stephen Timms: holding answer s 7 January 2008
	In view of the wide range of past and present Government activities involving an element of promoting web-based technology, it is not possible to provide precise expenditure figures without incurring disproportionate cost. However, my Department works closely with key stakeholders such as the Information Age Partnership (IAP) to help the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector address key issues impacting on its competitiveness, and the Government have provided significant funding for the development of technology in this area via European Framework programmes and more recently the Technology Strategy Board.
	Since 1997, the Government have made considerable efforts to encourage the take up and use of ICT, including web-based technologies, by UK business. This was primarily through two major initiatives, the Information Society Initiative and UK online for business. The Government continues to look at how ICT can impact on productivity and social inclusion - most recently through the joint report with the IAP, 'Raising UK Productivity: unlocking the potential of Information and Communication Technology' published in June 2007.
	We have also done much to promote the development of the broadband infrastructure, working in collaboration with the regions and Devolved Administrations and with industry. The UK has one of the fastest growing broadband markets in Europe, and continues to have the most extensive availability, with 99.9 per cent of households reported to be connected to broadband enabled exchanges.

UK Trade and Investment: Technology

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what support was given by  (a) UK Trade and Investment and  (b) the Renewables Trade Promotion Service to each technology sector in attending or holding trade events domestically and overseas in the last period for which figures are available.

Malcolm Wicks: Over the period April 2007 to March 2008, BERR, via UKTI and the RETPS will have supported 13 overseas trade missions and one inward mission. Of the 14 events, eight events covered all renewable technologies, three events were specific to wind energy, two events were specific to bioenergy, and one was specific to marine energy.

Unfair Commercial Practices Directive

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what timetable he plans for the  (a) publication,  (b) consultation on and  (c) implementation of the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive regulations.

Gareth Thomas: The Department of Trade and Industry consulted on draft Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs) implementing the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (UCPD) in May 2007. The draft CPRs reflect the outcome of two earlier consultations about implementing the UCPD. The first consultation paper was published in December 2005 and sought views in three areas: interpretation; enforcement; and simplification of existing legislation. The second consultation in December 2006 sought views on how to frame the criminal offences in the regulations implementing the directive.
	I propose to lay the draft CPRs before Parliament shortly. If approved the regulations will come into force on 6 April 2008.

Union Modernisation Fund

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what the cost to his Department was of administering the Union Modernisation Fund programme in each year since 2004.

Patrick McFadden: The cost of administering the scheme represents 5 per cent. of the funds managed.
	
		
			   
			 2005 63,573 
			 2006 121,683 
			 2007 176,027

Wind Power

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the quantity of  (a) steel and  (b) concrete required to build sufficient wind turbines to supply the energy needed to meet targets likely to be required under the EU 20 per cent. renewables target;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the quantity of  (a) steel and  (b) concrete required to build and develop the infrastructure, including access roads, to service wind turbines needed to supply the energy needed to meet targets likely to be required under the EU 20 per cent. renewables target.

Malcolm Wicks: It is too early to estimate what proportion of the UK contribution to the EU 20 per cent. target will come from any particular source of renewable energy, and the impact that will have. Agreement has not yet been reached on the contribution that each member state will make toward the 20 per cent. target, but we will consult in 2008 on policy options to meet the UK's contribution and publish our full UK renewable energy strategy the following spring once the EU directive has been agreed.

Wind Power

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will estimate the number of days annually on which wind speed is too high for the generation of power from wind turbines in each area in which wind farms are located.

Malcolm Wicks: No such estimate has been made, but the likelihood of wind turbines shutting down due to high wind speed conditions is very rare.
	Wind speed statistics are very location specific and vary from year to year. At any one typical UK wind farm location, wind speeds might be high enough to cause wind turbines to shut down for a few hours per year, more on a high wind speed site, fewer on a low wind speed site.

Wind Power

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many factories in the UK are capable of manufacturing the primary components of a 2MW wind turbine, including  (a) masts,  (b) hubs,  (c) generators and  (d) turbine blades.

Malcolm Wicks: We do not hold statistics on how many factories in the UK are capable of manufacturing the primary components of a 2MW wind turbine. However, we are aware of a number of UK factories with the capability of producing the primary components. In terms of masts we are aware of five companies with the capability, three companies for hubs, two companies for generators and two companies for blades.

Wind Power

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what estimated size of labour force is needed to maintain the number of wind turbines required to meet targets likely to be required under the EU 20 per cent. renewables target for total primary energy; what types of qualifications are likely to be required for such a labour force; and what projection he has made of the number of suitable personnel who will be available on the labour market in 2020 is.

Malcolm Wicks: It is too early to estimate what proportion of the UK. contribution to the EU 20 per cent. target will come from any particular source of renewable energy, and the impact that will have. Agreement has not yet been reached on the contribution that each member state will make toward the 20 per cent. target, but we will consult in 2008 on policy options to meet the UK's contribution and publish our full UK renewable energy strategy the following spring once the EU directive has been agreed.

Wind Power: Tourism

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what assessment he has made of the effect on the level of tourism income of the installation of wind turbines in the countryside.

Malcolm Wicks: The Department has not made such an assessment. However, we are not aware of any evidence to suggest that the level of tourism income has been affected by the installation of wind turbines in the countryside.
	The UK's first commercial wind farm at Delabole in Cornwall received 350,000 visitors in its first ten years of operation.
	A MORI poll in Scotland (October 2002) showed that 80 per cent. of tourists would be interested in visiting a wind farm. Furthermore, wind farm developers are often asked to provide a visitor centre, viewing platforms and rights of way to their sites.